Grown on steep, east-facing slopes above Silicon Valley, Ridge's Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in fractured sandstone soils that impart cooling minerality. Clusters are hand-picked in small crates at dawn, sorted at the winery, then fermented in open-top tanks with indigenous yeasts to promote site-specific expression. After gentle pressing, the wine ages 18 months in French oak barrels (30% new), developing blackcurrant, graphite and wild herb layers. The estate's vineyard-forward ethos yields a Cabernet of striking tension-ripe fruit framed by savory detail and vibrant mountain freshness.