Santa Cruz Mountains 2023 & 2024: A Rising Tide
Vinous
June 2026
The Santa Cruz Mountains Region: “Firing on all cylinders”
Billy Norris of Vinous recently published an in-depth article on the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA and its up-and-coming status as one of the world’s premier wine regions. The report goes on to describe the uniqueness of the AVA, with its rugged mountain terrain, cool climate, and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. His impression of the appellation after a recent visit is that the region is poised for something big: “There is an inescapable sense that the Santa Cruz Mountains as a whole is firing on all cylinders. Quality and ambition have never been higher, and the sense of community and collaboration is palpable.”
Farming: Community & Collaboration
Norris credits a small group of local viticulturists with setting the standard for responsible farming in the area, including RIDGE Senior VP of Vineyard operations, David Gates: “The modern Santa Cruz Mountains has its own class of farming technicians. David Gates has carried the torch for decades. His nearly four decades of work at Ridge helped set the standard for thoughtful, site-specific viticulture in the region — more art than technical discipline.” Learn more about David and his incredible contribution to the wine industry in our video, “Behind the Vines: David Gates’ Impact on California Winegrowing.”
Outstanding Recent Vintages
The article goes on to praise the 2023 and 2024 vintages in this region and remarks on the exceptional quality of the wines from the 2023 vintage in particular, a cool year that broke California’s longtime drought pattern.
“The 2023s from the Santa Cruz Mountains are among the most consistently excellent of the 2023s anywhere in California.”
Billy Norris, Vinous
The Reviews
Norris rates a number of our newly-released Santa Cruz Mountains wines and single-vineyard Zinfandels from Sonoma County, including an outstanding 99-point score for our newest vintage of Monte Bello.
“The epic 2023 Ridge Monte Bello is destined to be one of the all-time greats.”
2023 Monte Bello – 99 Points
“Quite simply, the 2023 Monte Bello is brilliant. It’s an unbelievably expressive wine in every way. Stunningly pure and delineated, the 2023 is an infinitely layered, complex, concentrated Monte Bello that attains superb balance and powerful concentration without a shred of excess weight. Dark blue-toned fruit, bay leaf, blood orange, crushed rocks and chalk press on with confidence through an epically long finish. The extended growing season meant that much of the Merlot in the vineyard never fully ripened, hence the higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (89%) in the blend. Cool conditions and long hangtime not only imbued the 2023 with immeasurable depth, it also cemented the hallmark cedary freshness that lifts Monte Bello like few other wines in the world. This is a Monte Bello for the ages.”
2024 Lytton Springs – 97 Points
“The 2024 Lytton Springs is so vibrant and resonant. The purest, most crystalline black cherry fruit explodes from the glass, highlighted by a technicolor array of citrus peel, gamey elements and wild, heady violet florals. With aeration, the 2024 deepens dramatically, embracing a well of truffly earth tones and serious minerality that lend dynamism and intrigue. Chalky tannins have already integrated quite a bit in bottle, but the 2024 is a wine that will clearly cruise for two decades, likely more. The Lytton and Geyserville were neck and neck from barrel, but the Lytton has taken the lead (albeit by a smidge) from bottle, egged on by an incredibly long finish. Magnificent.”
2024 Geyserville Vineyard – 96 Points
“Now in bottle, the 2024 Geyserville Vineyard (bottled henceforth with “Vineyard” as part of the name due to TTB regulations) has cohered into an even more elegant wine than it was in its late stages of élevage. The 2024 is laden with red/blue-toned fruit, rosewater, exotic spices and overtones of sweet vanilla. It’s also characterized by ultra-fine, super-precise tannins and lifted freshness that feel so sophisticated and filigreed for a young Geyserville. Bravo.”
2024 Estate Chardonnay – 94 Points
“Broad, creamy and enveloping, the 2024 Chardonnay Estate (100% Monte Bello) saturates the palate with dense, rich golden orchard fruit and spice-laden oak. It then pulls taut, focused and linear, coiling up like a spring before revealing shades of graphite-like minerality. Through and through, the 2024 maintains its suppleness, fading out gently on the understated finish. This is a less hedonistic, less immediate Monte Bello Chardonnay that will need a couple of years to assimilate.”
2023 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – 94 Points
“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.”
2024 East Bench Zinfandel – 93 Points
“The 2024 Zinfandel East Bench is whip-tight and very structured. Citrus-driven and powerful, the 2024 soaks into the palate with layers of grapefruit peel, wild cherry, gravel and iodine. Firm, grippy tannins help tame the exuberance of the fruit, while a nip of glycerol richness right on the finish reminds us that we’re in the Dry Creek Valley, the hottest part of Sonoma County.”
2023 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon – 93 Points
“The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Cruz Mountains) is a blend of fruit from the Monte Bello estate and a few neighboring vineyards (Bates, Vidovich and Fellom) aged for 16 months in 100% American oak. Taut and structured, the 2023 opens with dark fruit, cracked pepper, smoked meat, tobacco leaf and cedar, all enshrouded in firm, chalky tannins that lead to a long, savory finish. This is a very fine access point to the Ridge house style at a more approachable price. As a note, this cuvée has existed in various iterations in the past, and was the original designation for what eventually became Ridge’s Estate Cabernet.”
Related Reading
Wait!
In order to qualify for user related discounts, you must log in before proceeding with checkout. Click the button below to log in and receive these benefits, or close the window to continue.
Log In