Santa Cruz County

Birichino’s Vin Gris celebrates the spiritual home of rosé, made with Southern French varietals (Grenache, Cinsault, Vermentino and Mourvèdre) sourced from various AVAs and older-vine plantings around California. The resulting wine is a pale salmon-pink colour, with characteristic notes of watermelon, raspberry and pink grapefruit that provide an attractive, youthful scent. Mourvèdre provides a savoury core and additional phenolic grip that gives structure to this wine. With racy acidity and a saline core, this rosé is truly as good as it gets.
Fiona Hayes, Buyer (July 2019)

These “centenarian” vines were planted in 1886 – and while they use most of the fruit to make their delicious Vin Gris Rosé, since 2012 they’ve also been making a red. At 12.5 percent alcohol, this wine has incredible restraint but with an intensity that holds its own. There are notes of violet, pomegranate, wild flowers and cranberries, followed by a savoury, chalky tannin profile.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer

This is a cleverly-made, naturally cloudy “Pétulant” Pétillant Naturel from the innovative Birichino. Based on their Malvasia Bianca, some of the juice is held back from the vinification process and then added back to a proportion before bottling it with a little added yeast, sparking a secondary fermentation in bottle – producing the all-important bubbles. The contact of the wine with its lees in bottle brings an added dimension to the flavour profile, adding light floral undertones and a hint of biscuit to the generous fruit profile of lime, green apple and yellow plum. Wonderful as an aperitif, it will prove an interesting match for lightly spiced dishes.
Oliver Barton, Wine Buyer

Named after two Georges – Jr and the late Sr – with whom Birichino have worked for over 20 years, this Pinot Noir is made with fruit from various sites. The site owned and farmed by George Jr today (and originally planted for Josh Jensen at Calera) adds a botanical spicy element, while grapes from southern Monterey add a fleshy, juicy note. A touch of fruit from their Lilo site adds – in winemaker John’s words – “class”, and some Antel fruit “for a bit of guts”. Together they make a delicious Pinot – an “honest” wine, as John describes it. With a bright, red-berry fruit profile, the wine has classic New World Pinot perfume. It’s floral and spicy, but with a restraint that is typical of Volnay.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer

This wine displays an elegant red-berry perfume, with notes of lifted violets and raspberry, supported by refreshing acidity and fine-grained tannins. This Pinot Noir has a silky texture with purity of fruit and a restrained concentration that showcases the wine’s innate quality. Drink now to 2027.
Fiona Hayes, Buyer (September 2019)

A wine of great balance, finesse and grace. Well-focused, the ripe, tart, rich blackberry and currant fruit is intense yet elegant, picking up earth, mineral and sage notes, and finishing with fine, well-integrated tannins
(Wine Spectator, June 00)

Yields of just over a ton per acre have resulted in one of our most concentrated vintages ever. Intense black fruit, a pronounced mineral component, and subtle floral notes, combined with rich tannins, give the 2005 potential for greatness. Though it is difficult to identify another vintage of similar characteristics this early on, the exceptional 1996 might come closest.
Paul Draper - Winemaker - Ridge Vineyards

A brilliantly focussed, classical Cabernet blend, approaching the moment when the fruit will blossom into the multi-layered complexity of a great Monte Bello. Decant well in advance of serving.

"A wine of great balance, finesse and grace. Well-focused, the ripe, tart, rich blackberry and currant fruit is intense yet elegant, picking up earthy, mineral and sage notes, and finishing with fine, well-integrated tannins. Cab. Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab. Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2012."
92/100 pts. (Wine Spectator - Oct 2002)

This impressive 2006 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (68 percent), Merlot (20 percent), Petit Verdot (10 percent) and a handful of Cabernet Franc (two percent). This is an extremely concentrated wine with powerful aromas and an expansive palate bursting with black forest fruit, mocha, juniper and sweet spice flavours, whilst fine tannins provide impeccable structure. As one expects of Ridge’s wines, this should age for a further thirty years or so.

Ridge Vineyards makes wines that compete in terms of quality and desirability with Bordeaux First Growths and Grand Cru white Burgundies. Founder Paul Draper has practised and engendered a practical, hands-off approach to winemaking at Ridge, one that has resulted in an exceptional and highly sought-after range of wines.

Ridge Vineyards makes wines that compete in terms of quality and desirability with Bordeaux First Growths and Grand Cru white Burgundies. Founder Paul Draper has practised and engendered a practical, hands-off approach to winemaking at Ridge, one that has resulted in an exceptional and highly sought-after range of wines.

This impressive 2013 is a Cabernet Sauvignon blend with less Merlot than usual, after the drought of 2013. This is an extremely concentrated wine, with powerful, seamless aromas of cassis and violet. A big wine, for sure, but drinking nicely from 2019 and onwards.

100% Merlot. Rich, bright red fruits dominate this cuvee, with a density on the core of cherry and licorice. Tannins are rich and round with the sweetness form the American oak evident. Long length and concentrated.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer

Paul Draper has over 30 years experience in producing one of Californias true greats. This exceptional Bordeaux blend, produced high up on the Monte Bello ridge will drink now to 2025.

The 2011 Monte Bello (87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc) emerges from the glass with tobacco, grilled herbs, smoke, incense and plums melding together in this soft, beautifully textured Monte Bello. The 2011 is a wine of exceptional textural finesse. The 100% new oak is totally integrated. In 2011, Ridge used a total of 18 of a possible 24 lots for the final blend. The presence of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon is the highest since the 1980s. I expect the 2011 to be a relatively early drinking Monte Bello, but time will be the judge.
Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate - Issue#202 Aug 2012

The just-bottled 2010 Monte Bello combines pure structure and power in a rich, full-bodied style for this wine. Waves of dark red fruit, crushed rocks, flowers, mint and grilled herbs wrap around the long, insistent finish. Today, the 2010 is slightly more reticent than it was last year, but the wine comes to life the more it sits in the glass. Always classy, the 2010 Monte Bello impresses for its impeccable balance. Count me among those who will be thrilled to own this magnificent California classic. The 2010 is a decidedly virile, powerful Monte Bello, qualities winemaker Eric Baugher attributes to a year with a very cold summer and periods of heat that arrived only towards the tail end of the growing season. In 2010, the blend is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.
Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate - Aug-2012