RIDGE VINEYARDS Harvest Report from Monte Bello

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Cori Foster
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1 2018 Harvest Report from Monte Bello Mild winter resulted in below-average rainfall. Most of the winter rain came in March. That was late enough to keep the vines going through summer and into harvest without too much water stress. Weather during bloom was perfect and allowed all varietals to set a full crop. Yields from our zinfandel vineyards were above average. Chardonnay and bordeaux varietals at Monte Bello were just below-average, down about 10%. Summer weather was warm, but not hot like Fog in August allowed the vines to slowly ripen and do so uniformly. It s rare to have zinfandel do that, but when it does, the resulting wines are superb zinfandels are excellent, possessing deep color, rich tannins, and amazing depth of flavors. They will age beautifully. The Monte Bello bordeaux lots are also of superb quality. Natural yeasts took much longer to ferment. To avoid pressing off sweet, we kept the fermenting juice on the skins longer-than-normal. To avoid over-extracting tannins, pump-over time and frequency was reduced. Once pressed, and fractionated, most of the press wine was held out from being added back to free runs. Now that natural malolactics are underway, the lots are all being sent to new barrels to finish. There are a number of lots that show amazing Monte Bello character. The assemblage tasting will be held in late January when we taste through everything to put together our first blend of 2018 Monte Bello. Petit verdot ripened nicely this year. Our two lots are phenomenal and likely to be selected into Monte Bello. Many of the classic cabernet and merlot lots are also excellent and will be chosen, too. With yields being lower at Monte Bello, the production size is most likely going to be on the smaller size. Nevertheless, it will be a powerful vintage. Eric Baugher, November 2018, / fax, / fax

2017 Estate Chardonnay, bottled 12/18 A cold winter delayed bud-break. Late spring rain disrupted bloom, reducing yields by a quarter. Summer was warm at times, but mostly foggy and cool.

2 2017 Estate Chardonnay, bottled 12/18 A cold winter delayed bud-break. Late spring rain disrupted bloom, reducing yields by a quarter. Summer was warm at times, but mostly foggy and cool. This slowed ripening which produced greater flavor and firmer acidity. We picked nine parcels in early September, and barrel fermented each separately. The most elegant, that showed the finest fruit, were selected for this superb chardonnay. It can be enjoyed now. EB (8/18) 100% CHARDONNAY MONTE BELLO ESTATE VINEYARD SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS 14.2% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME Ridge produced its first chardonnay in 1962 from fully-mature vines planted in the late 1940s on the Monte Bello estate vineyard. Production never exceeded ten barrels, and Monte Bello chardonnay was sold principally at the winery. Several great vintages, among them the 1973, 74, 79, and 84, showed that our cool climate and fractured limestone sub-soils were well suited to the varietal. By 1985, the old vines were producing less then a half-ton per acre and were taken out. The younger vines, planted in the 70s, provide the majority of grapes today. Initially these newer plantings were on the lower vineyard not yet farmed as part of the Monte Bello estate so the wine was called Santa Cruz Mountains and these vines have long since been included. Since 2009 the wine has been designated Ridge Estate Chardonnay. In years when differences among lots are sufficient to warrant a separate bottling, we make a limited amount of Monte Bello Chardonnay as well. FIRST CHARDONNAY SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS: 1985 FIRST ESTATE CHARDONNAY (THE NEW DESIGNATION): 2009 Rainfall: 44.2 inches (above normal) Bloom: Late May Weather: A wet winter gave Monte Bello over 44 of rain, well above normal. A cool spring, which effected sets and warm spells in summer pushed vines along. Labor Day heat wave ripened the grapes nicely. Harvest started early September and finished quickly. Harvest Dates: 30 August - 13 September Grapes: Average Brix 22.9 Fermentation: Grapes are whole-cluster pressed and barrel fermented. Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations. Selection: Nine of the twelve Estate Chardonnay parcels. Barrels: 93% air-dried american oak, 7% french oak; 10% new, 40% one and two years old, 24% three and four years old and 26% five to nine years old. Aging: Fourteen months. Sustainably farmed, hand-harvested estate-grown Monte Bello vineyard grapes; wholecluster pressed; fermented on the native yeasts; full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (25 ppm initially to barrels, 62 ppm over the course of aging). In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions. Monte Bello Ridge overlooks San Francisco from the Santa Cruz Mountains, a stand alone appellation separating the North Coast from the Central Coast but not a part of either. Elevation: 1,400-2,000 Soils: Fractured limestone soils overlaid with decomposing Franciscan green stone mixed with clay/loam. Vines: 15.4 acres, planted Training: Head trained, cane pruned, vertical trellis, vertical shoot positioned. Yields: 3.0 tons per acre

2016 MONTE BELLO CHARDONNAY 2015 Chardonnay, Monte Bello, bottled 4/17 A fourth year of drought limited cluster formation and size. Untimely rain at bloom further reduced yields.

3 2016 MONTE BELLO CHARDONNAY 2015 Chardonnay, Monte Bello, bottled 4/17 A fourth year of drought limited cluster formation and size. Untimely rain at bloom further reduced yields. Warm summer weather pushed the season ahead for a late August harvest. Using traditional winemaking methods, this year s selection comes from a parcel located at 1900 elevation within the Rousten Ranch. Showing intense mountain fruit and firm acidity, it will be at its best over the next fifteen years. EB (2/17) 100% CHARDONNAY MONTE BELLO ESTATE VINEYARD SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS In the late 1940 s William Short, retired theologian and then-owner of the Ridge Torre vineyard ( ), planted several acres of chardonnay, which provided the 1962 estate Monte Bello Chardonnay for the Ridge partners first vintage. From 1962 to 1984, four to eight barrels of chardonnay were produced each year under the Monte Bello designation. By 1985, younger, replanted vines had begun to supplant the older vines, whose yields had dropped to a quarter-ton per acre and we changed the designation to Santa Cruz Mountains. By 1999, the young vines had matured; we were able to select, in most years, several exceptional parcels for a Monte Bello Chardonnay, a practice that continues to this day. FIRST MONTE BELLO CHARDONNAY: 1962 Rainfall: 21.9 inches (below normal) Bloom: Early June Weather: A very wet December and January helped ease the drought. Cool weather in April reduced our lower elevation crops a bit. Warm spells in late June and late July helped push the vines along. Harvest Dates: September Grapes: Average Brix 23.9 Fermentation: Whole-cluster pressed. Natural primary finished late November 2016 and secondary finished by June Selection: 100% Monte Bello vineyard chardonnay parcels. Barrels: 86% air-dried american oak and 14% french oak barrels (14% one year, 38% two years and 48% five years old. Aging: Eighteen months in barrel Organically farmed, hand-harvested, estate-grown Monte Bello grapes; whole cluster pressed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel fermentation and aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (25 ppm at the press, 45 ppm over the course of aging); bottled without filtration. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions. Monte Bello Ridge overlooks San Francisco from the Santa Cruz Mountains, a standalone appellation separating the North Coast from the Central Coast but not a part of either. Elevation: 1900 Soils: Fractured limestone soils overlaid with decomposing Franciscan green stone mixed with clay/loam. Training: Head-trained, cane-pruned, vertical trellis, vertical shoot positioned. Yields: 2.5 tons per acre

2017 GEYSERVILLE 2017 Geyserville, bottled January 2019 Powerful winter storms replenished groundwater, bringing the drought to an end. However, they delayed bud-break, pushing bloom into late May.

Those showing strong vineyard character were chosen for this superb vintage. Enjoyable now, it will develop further complexity over the next fifteen years.

The grapes are grown in three adjoining vineyards on a defined stretch of gravelly soil approximately one-and-a-quarter miles long and a half-mile wide. FIRST GEYSERVILLE 1966 Rainfall: 61.

4 2017 GEYSERVILLE 2017 Geyserville, bottled January 2019 Powerful winter storms replenished groundwater, bringing the drought to an end. However, they delayed bud-break, pushing bloom into late May. Early September heat was followed by cooler weather that slowed the pace of ripening. Twenty-four parcels were picked and fermented separately. Those showing strong vineyard character were chosen for this superb vintage. Enjoyable now, it will develop further complexity over the next fifteen years. EB (8/18) 68% ZINFANDEL, 18% CARIGNANE, 12% PETITE SIRAH, 2% ALICANTE BOUSCHET ALEXANDER VALLEY 14.5% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME Ridge has made the Geyserville as a single-site zinfandel every year since The grapes are grown in three adjoining vineyards on a defined stretch of gravelly soil approximately one-and-a-quarter miles long and a half-mile wide. FIRST GEYSERVILLE 1966 Rainfall: 61.5 inches (above normal) Bloom: May Weather: A wet winter gave us the much needed rains. Cool weather in the spring affected set across all varieties. Several heat spikes in late June, July and August saw temperatures over 105 degrees. Harvest started before the Labor Day heat wave hit; we quickly finished harvesting by mid-september. Harvest Dates: 30 August 20 September Grapes: Average Brix 24.7 Fermentation: Full Crush, 100% floating cap. Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations; daily pump-overs; pressed at 8 days. Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (16% new, 29% one and two years old; 55% three and four years old.) Aging: Fourteen months in barrel Sustainably farmed, hand-harvested estate-grown grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally-occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush; 127 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions. Geyserville Vineyard is located on the Western edge of Alexander Valley, Sonoma County Soils: Gravelly loam Age of Vines: Youngest 15 years; oldest over 125 years; sixty percent 50 years or older. Training: Head trained (no trellis), spur pruned. Yields: 2.9 tons per acre V I N E YA R D S

2017 EAST BENCH ZINFANDEL 2017 Zinfandel, East Bench, bottled 12/2018 In 1999, we planted this twenty acre parcel to zinfandel. As the vineyard matures, depth and complexity of flavor have increased.

Twelve months aging in American oak has softened tannins. Enjoyable upon release, this exemplary zinfandel will age for a further six-to-seven years.

5 2017 EAST BENCH ZINFANDEL 2017 Zinfandel, East Bench, bottled 12/2018 In 1999, we planted this twenty acre parcel to zinfandel. As the vineyard matures, depth and complexity of flavor have increased. In 2017, the vines set a short crop with smaller clusters than usual, resulting in one of the most concentrated wines we have made from East Bench. Twelve months aging in American oak has softened tannins. Enjoyable upon release, this exemplary zinfandel will age for a further six-to-seven years. JO (9/18) DRY CREEK VALLEY SONOMA COUNTY 100% ZINFANDEL (organically grown) 14.7% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME Ridge has made the East Bench as a single vineyard since 2006, one of the few Ridge zinfandels that is 100% zinfandel. The vineyard sits high atop the bench land that overlooks Dry Creek Valley from the east. FIRST 2006 Rainfall: 61.5 inches (above normal) Bloom: Mid-May Weather: A wet winter gave us the needed rains. Cool weather in the spring affected set across all varieties. Several heat spikes in late June, July and August saw temperatures over 105 degrees. Harvest started before the Labor Day heat wave hit; we quickly finished harvesting by mid-september. Harvest Dates: 29 August - 1 September Grapes: Average Brix 25.0 Fermentation: Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations; once daily pump-overs; pressed at eleven days. Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (10% new oak, 25% one year, 25% two year, 20% three year, 20% four year). Aging: Twelve months in barrel Hand harvested; sustainably farmed, estate-grown organic grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by a full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 182 ppm during aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions. East Bench Vineyard is located on the Eastern bench of Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County Soils: Gravelly clay loam Age of Vines: 17 years Training: Head trained (no trellis), spur pruned Yields: 5 tons per acre

2017 Petite Sirah, bottled December 2018 Heavy winter rains replenished groundwater and gave the vines a much needed break from the drought.

An adjacent block of zinfandel was included to soften tannins. This full- bodied petite sirah will be enjoyable over the next fifteen years.

We made our first wine from the property in 1972.

6 2017 Petite Sirah, bottled December 2018 Heavy winter rains replenished groundwater and gave the vines a much needed break from the drought. The petite sirah at Lytton Springs responded with a full crop. A series of very warm days in August, however, caused stress on the vines and a loss of twenty percent of the fruit. An adjacent block of zinfandel was included to soften tannins. This full- bodied petite sirah will be enjoyable over the next fifteen years. JO (9/18) DRY CREEK VALLEY SONOMA COUNTY 94% PETITE SIRAH, 6% ZINFANDEL 13.8% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME The oldest petite sirah vines on our Lytton Estate were planted in 1901 and the youngest in We made our first wine from the property in In 2002, we began bottling portions of the petite sirah as a separate wine for a limited release, up until then it had always been included in the Lytton Springs Zinfandel. In 2003 we made another limited release and in 2009 our first national release. FIRST LYTTON ESTATE PETITE SIRAH 2002 Rainfall: 38 inches Bloom: Mid-May Weather: A wet winter gave us the needed rains. Cool weather in the spring affected set across all varieties. Several heat spikes in late June, July and August saw temperatures over 105 degrees. Harvest started before the Labor Day heat wave hit; we quickly finished harvesting by mid-september. Harvest Dates: 1-9 September Grapes: Average Brix 23.5 Fermentation: Whole berry fermentation. Natural primary and secondary; limited pumpovers to once daily; pressed at seven days. Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (20% new, 20% one year, 30% three year, 15% four year, 15% five year). Aging: Twelve months in barrel Hand-harvested, sustainably grown, estate grapes; destemmed, whole berry fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally-occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush; 93 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions. Lytton Estate Vineyard is located in the hills and bench land separating Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys, just north of Healdsburg, Sonoma County. Soils: Gravelly clay loam Vines: Petite Sirah planted 1901 to 1998 at Lytton East (12 acres) and 1987 to 2008 at Lytton West (20.4 acres). 12 acres of grapes from Lytton West were used for this wine. Training: Head trained (no trellis), spur pruned. Yields: 2 tons per acre. V I N E YA R D S

2016 CABERNET SAUVIGNON ESTATE 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, bottled 6/18 A mild winter resulted in early budbreak, but the return to cool weather in spring slowed vine growth.

This wine combined lots with appealing fruit and elegance. Enjoyable now, this excellent vintage will reach full maturity within fifteen years.

7 2016 CABERNET SAUVIGNON ESTATE 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, bottled 6/18 A mild winter resulted in early budbreak, but the return to cool weather in spring slowed vine growth. Summer warmth was offset by unseasonably cold nights and fog, resulting in greater acidity and firm tannins. Shortened fermentations helped balance the tannin structure. This wine combined lots with appealing fruit and elegance. Enjoyable now, this excellent vintage will reach full maturity within fifteen years. EB (4/18) Yields, Estate Cabernet Parcels: 107 tons from 39.5 acres MONTE BELLO VINEYARD SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS 77% CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 19% MERLOT, 2% PETIT VERDOT, 2% CABERNET FRANC 13.8% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME In 1886 the first blocks of the Monte Bello vineyard were planted and construction on the winery begun. The first vintage was the In the early 1940s, the last of the old vineyard was abandoned; in the late forties a few blocks were replanted. Those cabernet vines now over sixty-five years old produced the first Ridge Monte Bello (1962) and subsequent vintages until By then other abandoned blocks had been replanted and their fruit considered for use in the Monte Bello. A number of those consistently produced a more accessible wine that developed its full complexity earlier and these were combined as the Santa Cruz Mountains. With the 2008 vintage the name of this stylistically distinct wine became the Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, stressing the principal varietal and the Monte Bello estate vineyard as its source. FIRST SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS: 1978 FIRST ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON: 2008 Rainfall: 21.9 inches (below normal) Bloom: Early June Weather: A very wet December and January helped ease the drought. Cool weather in April reduced our lower elevation crops a bit. Warm spells in late June and late July helped push the vines along. Harvest started mid-september and the last cabernet lots came in during the second week of October. Harvest Dates: 10 September 6 October Grapes: Average Brix 23.9 Fermentation: Grapes destemmed, and sorted; 100% whole berries fermented on the native yeasts. Pressed at five days. Natural malolactic initiated in tank, finished in barrel with additional 12 weeks of lees contact. Selection: Nineteen of twenty estate parcels. Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels; (35% new, 20% one year old, 45% two years old). Aging: Seventeen months in barrel Our Estate Vineyard is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a stand alone appellation separating the North Coast from the Central Coast, but not part of either. Elevation: 1300 to 2670 Soils: Fractured limestone soils overlaid with decomposing Franciscan green stone mixed with clay/loam. Age of Vines: Oldest 1949; further plantings in 1968/9, 1972, 1982, 1987/8, 1990, 1995, 1997/8, Training: Head-trained, cane-pruned, on vertical trellis, vertical shoot positioned. Irrigation: Non-irrigated. (New vines receive drip irrigation until fully established) Yields: tons per acre Sustainably farmed, hand-harvested, estate-grown grapes; destemmed and sorted; fermented on the native yeasts; full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; minimum effective sulfur (35ppm at crush, 74 ppm during aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

2017 LYTTON SPRINGS 74% ZINFANDEL, 15% PETITE SIRAH, 9% CARIGNANE, 2% MATARO SONOMA COUNTY DRY CREEK VALLEY 14.

The vines rebounded with a full crop but record high temperatures in July and August reduced yields, especially in the petite sirah.

JO (11/18) In 1972, Ridge made its first Lytton Springs from vines planted on the eastern half of the vineyard at the turn of the century.

8 2017 LYTTON SPRINGS 74% ZINFANDEL, 15% PETITE SIRAH, 9% CARIGNANE, 2% MATARO SONOMA COUNTY DRY CREEK VALLEY 14.8% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME 2017 Lytton Springs, bottled January 2019 A season of extreme weather began with heavy winter rains that replenished the water table. The vines rebounded with a full crop but record high temperatures in July and August reduced yields, especially in the petite sirah. This concentrated flavor and color and after 14 months in barrel the wine is exceptionally rich and complex. It will develop more fully over the next ten years. JO (11/18) In 1972, Ridge made its first Lytton Springs from vines planted on the eastern half of the vineyard at the turn of the century. Both the eastern and western portions of the vineyard were purchased in the early 1990s, (In the 1870s, under Captain William Litton s ownership, the two were part of one property; spelling evolved to Lytton by 1903.) The vineyard is planted to zinfandel and its principal complementary varietals. FIRST LYTTON SPRINGS: 1972 Rainfall: 61.5 inches (above normal) Bloom: May Weather: A wet winter gave us much needed rain. Cool weather in the spring affected set across all varieties. Several heat spikes in late June, July and August saw temperatures over 105 degrees. Harvest started before the Labor Day heat wave hit; we quickly finished harvesting by late September. Harvest Dates: 29 August - 26 September Grapes: Average Brix 24.6 Fermentation: Full crush; 100% Natural primary and secondary; pressed at nine days. Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (10% new; 20% two years old; 30% three years old, 20% four years old and 20% five years old). Aging: Fourteen months in barrel Hand-harvested, sustainably grown, estate grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; a total of 0.25 grams/liter tartaric acid; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 parts per million at crush, 88 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions. Lytton Springs Vineyard is located on the bench and hills separating Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys, just north of Healdsburg, Sonoma County. Soils: Varied, with a predominance of gravelly clay; gravelly clay loam on hillsides. Age of Vines: Lytton East: zinfandel, petite sirah, and carignane planted 1901 (32 acres) and 1910 (11 acres); zinfandel and petite sirah, planted (5 acres), Lytton West: zinfandel, petite sirah, carignane, re-planted (26 acres); zinfandel and petite sirah, planted 1980 s (2.5 acres); zinfandel and petite sirah planted in 1990 s (42.8 acres); zinfandel, petite sirah, and carignane, in 2000 s (60 acres). Training: Head trained (no trellis) spur pruned. Yields: 1.5 to 3.5 tons per acre

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