WTN: Two New Ridge ATP Reds...(short/boring)

My new Ridge ATP shipment arrived last week, so I cracked last night:
1. Ridge Valdiguie FredianiVnyd/NapaVlly (12.5%; 510 cs; bttld March 2021; 25% w-c; Drk: this Summer : JO 11/21) Healdsburg 2021: Med.color; fairly fragrant grapey/Gamay some vanilla/Am.Ridge oak quite pleasant Bojo-like nose; rather soft rather grapey/Gamay/fruity light vanilla/oak light earthy/dusty pleasant rather simple flavor w/ no tannins; med.long soft bit metallic light/fruity/grapey/Gamay/Bojo-like slight earthy finish w/ little tannins; a perfectly good Vin de Soif that speaks of Gamay but a bit boring & pretty pricey. $34.00 (ATP)
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2. Ridge PinotNoir Corralitos GaliVnyd/SantaCruzCnty (14.2%; bttld 4/2021; Drk: 1/21-1/26-1/28: EB) Cupertino 2019: Med.dark color; fairly strong PN/black cherry/cherry some toasty/vanilla/Am.oak light earthy/dusty rather attractive lightish nose; lightly tart/tangy lightish black cherry/PN/cherry/bit floral some earthy/dusty some vanilla/toasty/oak bit complex flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long somewhat lightish/PN/black cherry some earthy/dusty strong toasty/Am.oak/vanilla bit complex finish w/ light gentle tannins; a pleasant enough SCM PN that's not dominated by the Ridge winemaking but not particularly distinctive; speaks quietly of SCM PN; rather pricey at $45.00 (ATP)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Valdiguie is a grape variety grown mostly in Languedoc/Rousillon of France. For many yrs, there was a variety grown in Calif that was called Napa Gamay, thought to be the true Gamay of Beaujolais. DNA indicated that it was not the true Gamay Noir a jus Blanc of Beaujolais. So most of what was labeled Gamay in Calif was Valdiguie or a weak clone of Pinot Noir. There actually not that much true Gamay Noir a jus Blanc planted in Calif. Steve Edmunds makes the best one, probably.
Ridge made their first Gamay back in 1971 from the YorkCreekVnyd. It was a powerful extracted wine that had no resemblance to Gamay. Almost of a Petite Sirah level of extraction. I don't believe Ridge has revisited Gamay until the new Valdiguie. Not quite sure why they bothered.
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2. Ridge made their first PN under the CoastRange label in '71. It was underwhelming for a Ridge red. The latest one is about of that same stature.
They mention in the ATP release that they've done vine DNA work in the LyttonSprings and have identified there 1 PN vine dating back to the early 1900's and suggest it might be the oldest living PN in Calif. I find that claim a bit suspect. And not particularly relevant to this PN release. I gather there has been no effort to propogate that one vine.
Tom

Tom;, in 2000 I was able to establish the very first intentional planting of real, true Gamay ever undertaken in California. I don't believe there's any point in trying to compare Valdiguie (or any other variety: i.e., Gamay Beaujolais aka Pinot Noir) to real Gamay. Finally, Gamay has begun to get a very slight foothold in CA, and it's clearly in a place that is most UNLIKE either Beaujolais or the Loire, and that makes total sense. The variety may or may not make sense, in the long run, here in Northern CA, but at least the chance to find out and figure it out has begun.

[David M. Bueker]

Some nice Gamay coming out of Oregon.