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WW&S 20th Anniversary Series: Ridge Vineyards, The Icons

Cost: 175

Twenty years ago, Waterford Wine & Spirits opened its doors with a simple, ambitious belief: that Wisconsin deserved access to the world’s great wines, not as distant trophies but as living, shareable experiences. Two decades later, that belief has grown into a community built around curiosity, trust and the joy of discovery.

To mark our 20th anniversary, we’re doing what we love most: welcoming some of the world’s most revered wineries and putting them where they belong — at the tasting table with you.

Ridge Vineyards doesn’t shout its greatness—it lets history, place, and the quiet authority of its wines do the talking. This seminar is a deep immersion into one of America’s most consequential wineries, a producer whose legacy reshaped how the world understands California wine. Founded on Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Ridge has always stood slightly apart: fiercely committed to site expression, native fermentations, minimal intervention, and a belief—radical in its time—that California vineyards could speak with the same nuance, restraint, and longevity as Europe’s most revered estates.

At the heart of this tasting is Monte Bello, the wine that forever altered America’s place on the global wine map. Built in a Bordeaux-inspired tradition but utterly Californian in soul, Monte Bello is widely regarded as the greatest Bordeaux-style blend ever produced in the United States. Its triumph at the Judgment of Paris re-tasted 30 years later—where it outperformed the First Growths of Bordeaux—was not a fluke, but confirmation of Ridge’s long game: ageworthy structure, Santa Cruz Mountains freshness, and a profound sense of place drawn from fractured limestone soils high above the fog line.

Yet Ridge’s legend does not rest on Cabernet alone. This is also the winery that rescued Zinfandel from obscurity, treating it not as a simple, exuberant red but as a serious, vineyard-driven variety capable of nuance, longevity, and emotional depth. Through its meticulous preservation of old vines and transparent winemaking philosophy, Ridge effectively transformed Zinfandel into America’s grape—a varietal expression of heritage, resilience, and regional identity. In Ridge’s hands, Zin becomes something layered and contemplative: brambly fruit framed by minerality, savory spice, and an unmistakable sense of history.

Anchoring this seminar is our special presenter this evening: David Gates, Senior Vice President of Vineyard Operations at Ridge Vineyards, and one of the foremost viticulturists in America, if not the world. With decades of hands-on experience across Ridge’s estate vineyards—including Monte Bello in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Lytton Estate in Sonoma, and historic sites throughout California—David has been instrumental in shaping Ridge’s vineyard-designate philosophy since joining the winery in 1989. Trained at UC Davis, he oversees viticultural practices across Ridge’s portfolio, guiding growers and estates with deep authority on soils, climate, vine balance, and long-term sustainability.

This seminar is a guided exploration of Ridge’s icons—wines that tell the story of California’s coming of age through rigor, humility, and patience. It is about understanding why Ridge matters, not just as a winery, but as a philosophical anchor for American wine: proof that greatness is earned slowly, vineyard by vineyard, vintage by vintage.

Come taste the wines that changed the conversation—and continue to define what American wine can be.

Wines to be tasted:

2024 Ridge Grenache Blanc $49.99

2023 Ridge Geyserville $70.99

2018 Ridge Geyserville $99.99

2016 Ridge Geyserville $109.99

2021 Ridge Estate Chardonnay $114.99

2020 Ridge Estate Chardonnay $109.99

2022 Ridge Monte Bello $394.99

2016 Ridge Monte Bello $574.99

2015 Ridge Monte Bello $629.99

1995 Ridge Monte Bello $1079.99

All prices listed reflect regular retail. Significant discounts will be offered on all wines tasted. Due to the highly allocated nature of some selections, wines may change without notice.

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