2023 Evangelho

Cranberry sauce and Bresaola aromas accented by notes of star anise and vanilla, giving way to a medium-bodied palate of raspberry and spiced plum, finishing long and juicy with fine, structured tannins. LL (6/25)

There are only a handful of vineyards left in the world planted to vines that are not grafted onto rootstock resistant to phylloxera. Due to its sandy soils, Evangelho is one of these rare vineyards. Planted in the 1880s to zinfandel, mataro and carignane, Ridge first produced wine from this vineyard in 1990. Enjoyable as a young wine, it will continue to evolve over the next seven to eight years. JO (1/25)

Ridge produced its first wine from the Evangelho vineyard in 1990 and went on to produce small bottlings of mataro and zinfandel from this distinctive 1890s-era vineyard. The vineyard is located 50 miles east of San Francisco in Contra Costa County and is planted on an ancient alluvial sand bar at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. The cooling influence of the nearby San Francisco Bay along with the vineyard’s deep, sandy soils produce elegant wines with excellent natural acidity.

Rainfall: 17 inches (above average)
Bloom: Early June
Weather: More than double the average annual rainfall. Weather was typical, hot summer days with a cooling breeze most nights. Harvest was three weeks later than normal.

Harvest Dates: 30 August – 19 September
Grapes: Average Brix 13.4˚
pH: 3.48
Fermentation: 100% natural primary and secondary fermentation; 100% floating cap.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (25% two years old, 25% three years old, and 50% four years old)
Aging: Seventeen months

Evangelho Vineyard grapes, hand-harvested; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur (35 ppm at crush, 104 ppm during aging). Pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

OwenBargreen.com: 96 Points “A dense and delightful new bottling coming from the Contra Costa County, the 2023 ‘Evangelho’ is mostly Carignane with a good portion of Zinfandel and Mataro blended in. Green herbs combine with wet stone, Cuban cigar and shades of wild blackberry on the nose. The palate is powerful and concentrated with a great acid backbone and loads of exotic spice nuance. Great now, watch this develop over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2040.” -Owen Bargreen (June 2025)

Wine Enthusiast: 95 Points “Grapes for this wine come from a heritage vineyard treasured for its rich, perfumed dark berry fruits and earthy notes on the nose. On the palate, the wine sings of red fruits, dried herbs, red licorice, blood orange slices, high-toned acidity, and just-the-right oak aging. You will be tempted to continue sampling your bottles, so purchase as much as you can. Cellar until 2035 or decant and enjoy.” -T.P. (March 2026)

JamesSuckling.com: 93 Points “Bold and dense aromas of blackberries, black cherries, dark plums, wild herbs and baking spices. The palate is full-bodied and textural with concentrated dark fruit and firm tannins. Made from 67% carignane, 19% zinfandel and 14% mataro. Drink or hold.” (July 2025)

JebDunnuck.com: 93 Points “Silky smooth texture makes for a memorable experience on the light-bodied palate of the 2023 Evangelho, a blend of 67% Carignane, 19% Zinfandel, and 14% Mataro from pre-Phylloxera vines planted in the 1880s in sandy soils. Ridge has been making this wine since 1990. A silky smooth texture bolstered by firm tannins lead to a light/medium-bodied palate of tart citrus and dark cherry, with a lasting note of soy. The texture is mineral-driven and spiced, leading to a bright finish of persistent acidity and elegant structure. Enjoy over the next 7-8 years.” Virginie Boone (September 2025)

Average Rating: 90.3

No. of Tasting Notes: 5

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