What's Pressoir Drinking?
Edouard Bourgeois
March 1, 2023
When I moved to the US in 2008, one of my motivations as a sommelier was to learn about American wines. Soon I had my first sip of Cabernet Sauvignon from Ridge Vineyards and I was sold. But the most surprising discovery for me was Ridge’s Zinfandel. I have been a fan of Ridge wines ever since and I am always on a hunt for an old bottle of their Zinfandel. Although I am not typically a fan of big, bold flavor wines, I have always found a great energy in these wines and the powerful character of the grape variety never speaks too loudly, letting terroir express itself.
30 years ago, Ridge made its first Monte Bello, now a legendary US Meritage. Two years later, Ridge bottled their first Zinfandel. The winery has been on a constant hunt for California’s ideal vineyard so the climate, soil, and varietal are perfectly matched. To bring the distinctive character of each vineyard to the wine, they use minimal handling that is typical of traditional winemaking.
I recently acquired a bottle of a 1991 Beatty Vineyard Zinfandel from the online Acker auction and opened it last week. Ridge is known for their numerous experiments with different grape varieties and vineyards, and it is easy to get lost on their website trying to navigate the plethora of wines that have been made there. Because of that diverse portfolio, some cuvées were made only a few times before a vineyard got replanted or a lease ended. This Beatty vineyard is a good example of that, having been made only four times, in 1983, 1984, 1988 and 1991.
Though Howell Mountain is on the dry side of Napa Valley, and the open, chaparral-covered slopes seem to bake in the August sun, this is a cool microclimate. With a late start and full crop in 1991, these grapes did not ripen completely until the first week of November. Anticipating firm tannins, the winery used small, five-ton fermentors; a third of the grapes in each tank were whole clusters. This approach adds a floral, bright fruit character, and Petite Sirah contributes spice and structure.
Paul Draper in 2014
Draper first gained recognition for his 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon when it placed fifth at the Judgment of Paris wine tasting. I was blessed to meet this true gentleman in 2013 at Cafe Boulud during a marvelous Ridge wine dinner and later during a visit at the Santa Cruz winery.
The Beatty 1991 was everything I love about Old Zinfandel. The nose at first was a touch dirty and not completely homogeneous with a touch of dusty old library. But the fruit started to blossom quickly with aeration and displayed stewed plum and roasted berries with the signature of herbs and spices that makes the greater Zinfandel very unique wines.
Ridge Winery
