Full Belly Files | Ridge Vineyards’ Bacara Takeover

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From left, Ridge’s winemaking team of Michael Bairdsmith, Shauna Rosenblum, John Olney, David Gates, and Lauren Lyall. | Credit: Hector Sandoval

As I hustled from my room at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara to attend a Ridge Vineyards seminar last weekend, I assumed the event would be in one of the resort’s smaller meeting rooms where I’ve hosted and watched plenty of other wine talks. I was expecting that there’d be about 30 or so people willing to shell out the significant expense to travel from afar and learn more about this iconic winery, which was founded in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1959.

Then I learned that the seminar was actually in the Bacara’s big ballroom, where I was pretty shocked to find about 200 people seated at long tables, all ready to dive deeper into the stories and sips of the Monte Bello Vineyard. Over the next two days, I’d meet folks from London, England, Wilmington, Delaware, from Louisville, Kentucky, and Phoenix, Arizona, from Santa Cruz and Sherman Oaks — all drawn to Goleta due to a rabid fascination with Ridge and affinity for fine wine in general.

If the wine world is struggling, someone forgot to tell these people.

The Bacara ballroom during the Ridge getaway weekend. Credit: Hector Sandoval

To their credit, I’d say that they got their money’s worth. I was extremely impressed by the entire affair, even though I really only caught two of their midday talks. I heard the dinners were even more epic, and everyone I talked to during the buffet breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday were bubbling with enthusiasm about their favorite bottles and insights. Most were also already planning to sign up for Ridge’s next weekend getaway, which happens every two years. (Past events included Lake Tahoe and Bodega Bay, with a cruise outing during the in-between years.)

Each session featured all four members of the winemaking team — Head Winemaker John Olney; Lytton Springs Winemaker Shauna Rosenblum; Lytton Assistant Winemaker Michael Bairdsmith; and Monte Bello Assistant Winemaker Lauren Lyall — plus David Gates, who oversees the vineyards from Santa Cruz up to Sonoma. There was no moderator — I almost offered my services when they invited me to attend a week before the gathering, but that would have been foolish. Their flow, including steady interaction with the curious crowd, was so seamless that any attempt to control it would have just gotten in the way.

Friday’s talk was all about Monte Bello Vineyard, which is where Ridge began. Focusing on both the estate cabernet sauvignon and the beloved Monte Bello blend, the conversation served as both a solid introduction to the brand — not that anyone here needed that — and a deeper dive into the processes involved in crafting these legendary wines.

For the uninitiated, Ridge was launched in the 1950s by a bunch of Stanford University scientists who sought closer ties to nature following their long days in the lab. The property had been home to vineyards going back to the 1880s, and they agreed to continue to take care of the vines when they purchased the property, even though they didn’t know what they were doing.

“They had no idea about vineyard,” said Olney of that first 1959 Monte Bello bottling. “But the wine was so good, they just decided there was something special about the site.”

The ensuing 60 years proved those founders right, with most of those vintages overseen by the now-retired but very much still alive Paul Draper. A philosophy major, Draper developed many of the processes that are still in place at Ridge, particularly the detailed, four-day assemblage process involved in crafting the Monte Bello blend. Based on cabernet sauvignon, the bottling may also include merlot, petit verdot, and sometimes cabernet franc, all from the 55 blocks that comprise the mountaintop property that overlooks the San Francisco Bay.

As the talking continued while we tasted estate cabs from 2012, 2010, and 2005 and Monte Bellos from 2011, 2007, and 2001, questions kept flying in from the crowd, including what they did to cleanse their palates during such long sessions. “Paul does not spit, which was one of the first things I admired about him,” said Olney, who explained that he tasted with olive oil, bread, cheese, and, in more recent years, a glass of milk nearby.

Saturday morning’s session focused on Ridge’s Rhône wines, which come from their Lytton Springs estate in Sonoma County. Given that I only tasted their Central Coast wines — specifically the Monte Bello/Santa Cruz Mountains bottlings as well as the Benito Dusi zinfandel and grenache blanc from Paso Robles — I wasn’t that aware of their Rhône record.

“They’ve flown under the radar, but they’ve always been there,” said Olney, noting that they started making petite sirah back in 1971. Gates chimed in to say that, actually, their Rhône experience goes back even further: to 1966, when the crop of zinfandel they sourced actually included about 33 percent carignan and another 8 percent mataro (or mourvèdre).

“The same reason that they’re important in France is the same reason they’re important in California,” explained Gates. Rhône vines tend to be vigorous and drought-tolerant while retaining acid even in warm regions and vintages, which showed in the two grenaches we tried from 20024 and 2002, the syrah/grenache blend from 2006, and the Dynamite Hill petite sirah from 2003.

Much like the transparency Ridge represents by listing all of their ingredients on each label — a practice they started 15 years ago — the discussion was remarkably open and honest about the specifics of their winemaking. The crowd got geeky on yeast, sulfur, tartaric acid, and more, and learned about how the team selected these bottles for the event and what makes wines age well.

Then a man at my table piped up. “I disagree with all of you,” said Ed Clarke of Sherman Oaks. “By far the biggest factor in the age-ability of a wine is the patience of the drinker.” We all laughed and went back to sipping the older yet still very vibrant Ridge wines.

My First Taste of Marisella

It’s not uncommon for resorts to refresh their restaurant offerings and/or chefs every so often, but the Ritz-Carlton Bacara seems to make new moves with reliable frequency. Here’s hoping that the newest incarnation of their primary restaurant stays for the long haul, as Marisella is nailing the vibes of the seaside resort better than anything that came before it. Why it’s taken so long to embrace a seafood-centric menu is anyone’s guess, but the fish-forward formula and energetic buzz finally feels right. (And there’s plenty of land meat for those who need it.)

My wife and I were able to dine there last Friday night in the middle of my Ridge weekend, and turned the generously hosted evening into the celebration of our 18th wedding anniversary. We didn’t hold back, starting with house made focaccia with a “dip in the pot” side of tomato sauce, roasted garlic, chili, and basil, a great pairing for the “Savory” caper-brined martini. Then came a unique uni dish that looked like an ice cream sundae and came atop a sort of granola; oysters with tomato granita and raspberry vinegar; and a garden salad with dates, citrus, pistachios, and chevre.

The showstopper was certainly the “Festa del Mar,” a full-on shellfish extravaganza with lobster, prawns, clams, and rockfish, their juices pooling around the rolls of linguini pasta that sat in the middle of the dish. It was fresh yet hearty and rich, certainly worthy of the party-minded name. We left with plenty for our kids to try as well.

Marisella is also returning fine and interesting wine back to the rightful place on the resort’s menu, much like it was when Miro first opened in this location way back when. The sommelier in charge suggested a Bründlmayer “Langenloiser”grüner veltliner from 2016, we obliged. It was one of the more stunning whites I’ve tasted in a while.

My colleague Leslie Dinaberg digs it too. Read her story here.

Make and Take Tamales for Fiesta

Cranberry salsa and homemade tamales are part of what you’ll learn in “Secrets of a Tamale Chef”| Photo: Courtesy

Our chef friend and National Tamale Day founder Richard Lambert is hosting a tamale-making class in time for Fiesta on July 26, 1-2:30 p.m., at the Free Methodist Church, 1435 Cliff Drive in Santa Barbara. He’s started calling it a “party class,” during which you’ll learn how to make your own tamales, eat a bunch of samples, and then get to take a dozen tamales home.

“It’s really for anyone who likes tamales,” said Lambert. “People always enjoy seeing how a tamale comes together, and I’ll share techniques we use to make ours extra plump and moist. Plus, we’ll give everyone a chance to make one or two tamales during the class.”
The suggested donation is $75. Click here to sign up.