Tagged: Ranch 32

Ranch 32: Local Meritage Undergoes an Experiment in Aging

We are almost caught up with our summer “Catchup Mondays” – Ranch 32 – Local Meritage Undergoes An Experiment in Aging. And this one will be really brief – because I already reviewed this wine back in 2021. But please read on…

THE STORY – AN EXPERIMENT IN AGING

Back in 2021, our daughter was served a delicious Ranch 32 Cabernet Sauvignon.  When I needed an American “Claret” for a wine class, I discovered the Ranch 32 makes a Meritage. I bought it at BevMo in Carmel for $29.95 and got a second bottle for 5 cents. The first tasting in June 2021 showed a bit young, so I held onto the second bottle to see what would happen – an experiment in aging. I’d have to say my little experiment had a disappointing outcome.  I guess the bottom line is to drink these wines young!

I previously wrote up this wine here: “On the west side of the Salinas Valley, directly in the path of Monterey’s relentless afternoon winds, sits Ranch 32”.

ABOUT RANCH 32:

“Place is paramount.”

“It means everything to wine. The finest wines in the world are closely identified with the regions from where they originate. Ranch 32 is about showcasing the best wine from our estate vineyards located in select AVAs of Monterey County. It is about crafting wines of tremendous depth and character that reflect their origin. Ranch 32 is the taste of place.”

You can read more about Ranch 32 here.

THE WINE

I have just one wine to present to you today from Ranch 32. Winery notes come from BevMo and from www.wine.com. Any errors are mine and mine alone.

2018 Ranch 32 Vineyard Reserve Meritage, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $30 40% Petit Verdot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Malbec (#385)

BevMo Review – 85 points: “Aromas of blackberries and dark plums with overtones of mocha and dark chocolate; well-integrated tannins lead to a long, layered finish.”

My Reviews:

June 2021: Ruby in the glass with a lovely, rich bouquet of dark fruits: plum, berry, oak and a touch of cherry. The palate was balanced, quite drinkable and fresh, with a touch of tangerine on the finish.  This wine is young. It opened up into nice, round flavors over time. 

September 2023: Garnet in the glass. Dark fruit and a bit of earth on the nose, following onto the palate. Grass and apple on the finish.  An experiment in aging with a disappointing outcome.      

WHERE TO FIND

Ranch 32 doesn’t have a tasting room, but you can use this link on their website to find their wines: https://www.ranch32wines.com/find-a-store.

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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“On the west side of the Salinas Valley, directly in the path of Monterey’s relentless afternoon winds, sits Ranch 32”

Cassandra recently visited her friend’s godparents in East Bay.  The godfather was from Monterey and served them a delicious Ranch 32 Cabernet Sauvignon.  When I needed an American “Claret” – a blend of Bordeaux varietals made in the U.S., I found out that Ranch 32 makes a Meritage! I did some digging and discovered that “Meritage” is one way of referring to such a blend.  I don’t see the “Meritage” nomenclature very often any more – it was quite the thing for a while. 

This map from Ranch 32’s website shows the location of their estate vineyards.

About Ranch 32: “This is the place where we first planted vines in 1972 when winegrowing was in its infancy in Monterey County. The specialness of the region was understood, but it would take a few decades for the vineyards to reach their full potential. Ranch 32 is about highlighting the natural characteristics of the terroir and conveying the taste of place. Each vintage, we produce small lots of wines from our sustainably farmed estate vineyards that represent the best of the appellation. From the renowned Arroyo Seco AVA, we craft our Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Further south from the San Lucas and Hames Valley AVAs, we bring you our Cabernet Sauvignon.” “100% Powered by Wind”

From the Monterey County Vintners & Growers website

About San Lucas AVA from their website: “Originally land that served as an open range for cattle grazing in the 1800s, the San Lucas appellation is located on the southwestern edge of the Salinas Valley and is comprised of sweeping alluvial fans and terraces.” You can read more here: https://www.ranch32wines.com/place/san-lucas

From the Monterey County Vintners & Growers website

About Hames Valley AVA from their website: “Located at the southernmost tip of Monterey County, the Hames Valley appellation has its own unique climate. It sits at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountains, with rolling hills dotted by ancient oak trees.” More here:  https://www.ranch32wines.com/place/hames-valley

Ranch 32 2018 Vineyard Reserve Meritage, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $30 40% Petit Verdot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Malbec (#385*)

BevMo Review – 85 points: “Aromas of blackberries and dark plums with overtones of mocha and dark chocolate; well-integrated tannins lead to a long, layered finish.”

My Review: Ruby in the glass with a lovely, rich bouquet of dark fruits: plum, berry, oak and a touch of cherry.  The palate was balanced, quite drinkable and fresh, with a touch of tangerine on the finish.  This wine is young.  It opened up into nice, round flavors over time.  I bought this at BevMo for $29.95 and got a second bottle for 5 cents – will hold onto that one and see what happens!   June 2021                                                    

Buying Ranch 32 Wines: You can buy Ranch 32 wines at BevMo.

*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.    

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