Ridge Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
(Santa Cruz Mountains, California) - [DM 95] [JD 95] [JS 94] [OB 94] [WA 94] [VM 94]

Winemaker Notes:

Vintage:

Late spring rains disrupted fruit set in the merlot and yields were likewise down in petit verdot. With less of these two varieties to work with, cabernet sauvignon makes up a larger proportion of this year’s wine. All the grapes were de-stemmed but left as whole berries for slower, gentler extraction during fermentation. After nineteen months of barrel aging, tannins are well integrated. This exemplary mountain-grown cabernet will develop more fully over the next fifteen years. 

75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Organically Grown

Winemaking: 

Harvest Dates: 
Grapes: Average Brix 25.3˚
TA: 6.72 g/L
pH: 3.55
Fermentation: Grapes destemmed, and sorted; 100% whole berries fermented on the native yeasts.
Selection: Eighteen of twenty estate parcels
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (55% new, 45% one year old).
Aging: Sixteen months in barrel

Hand-harvested, estate-grown grapes; destemmed and sorted; fermented on the native yeasts; full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; minimum effective sulfur (35 ppm at crush, 138 ppm during aging); four egg whites per barrel for tannin reduction; depth filtration at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

Tasting Notes:
Dark purple hues with black cherry, dark plum, black olive, soy, dried jerky, lilac, dried rose petals, cedar, juniper berry, and wintergreen mint. Fresh entry with building tannins that coat the entire palate. Gravelly, dusty, and mineral notes give way to layers of red and black fruits. Integrated oak with youthful tannins and acidity. Will prove to be very age-worthy. TG (12/23)

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"Classic mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, it's a cool vintage in a very cool site, and at Monte Bello this harvest finished in the middle of November. It has all the timeless notes of California mountain herbals, bay leaf, eucalyptus and manzanita and purple sage. It's intensely focused, and the tannins are prominent. But elegance is the watchword here. Woodland berries, and sumac with white pepper and a glimpse of lemon zest. Brilliant." - Clive Pursehouse (February 2026)

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"From Monte Bello, with 19% Merlot and small additions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, harvested in late October and November due to the coolness of the vintage, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate saw extended fermentations and is light-bodied and elegant, made from the most approachable lots of this famous site. Red fruit-dominant, it offers firm, expansive tannins, oak spice, and sharp acidity, dazzling in cranberry, clove, and cedar. This will benefit from further aging and sing for another 15-plus years. Enjoy best 2030-2038." - Virginie Boone (Mar 2026)

94 Points - James Suckling:
"An elegant year for this medium-bodied wine that's a junior to Ridge Monte Bello cabernet. So poised, flavorful, savory and well-balanced, with fine-grained tannins supporting black-olive, black-cherry, bay-leaf, cocoa and iron flavors. Moderate alcohol at 13.4%. Drink now or hold." - Jim Gordon (Mar 2026)

94 Points - Owen Bargreen:
"All sourced from the famed 'Monte Bello Vineyard' this 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon has 19% Merlot blended in with a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Red bell pepper and fresh sage mark the nose alongside dark chocolate shavings, Arabica bean and creme de cassis. The palate is lush and tension-filled with terrific tension and verve with a smooth texture. The combination of weight, length and finesse is seriously good. Drink 2026-2040." (Mar 2026)

94 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate opens with a dark-fruited, slightly dusty and herbal bouquet framed by American oak notes that are already remarkably integrated. The mouthfeel is suave and tense, balancing tensile energy with ample textural breadth. The finish succinctly captures the vintage's characteristics, giving equal weight to vibrant energy, tenacious yet refined tannins and Ridge's classically structured style. This is an exceptional bottling, and while it is somewhat approachable now, a bit more time in the bottle to further integrate its élevage would be beneficial." - Matthew Luczy (Apr 2026)

94 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a classically built Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet. Bright, fresh and lifted, it unfurls with layers of bay laurel, sage, tart blueberry and iodine, all presented in a vibrant, juicy, balanced framework that is at once both totally unfussy and completely confident. Well integrated and approachable today, the 2023 is a very fine expression of the Estate Cab." - Billy Norris (Jun 2026)