Ridge Estate Cabernet

I saw this wine offered recently. What is this? Does this replace the Santa Cruz Mtn Cab? What's the back story here? Did Ridge purchase some sites that were once used in the SCM or have they stopped using fruit from land that they don't own? Is this now officially a second wine of Monte Bello - that is, same vineyard/estate just vines/grapes/juice not worthy of Monte Bello?

Well, Tom.....my understanding is that this is what they used to call their SCM Cabernet. The SCM Cabernet label could (mistakenly)
be interpreted to include purchased grapes, but indeed it was always only from MB grapes and the (well-thought-out) blend of deselected
wines from their MB wine. And wine that didn't make the cut into SCM Cab was bulked out.
They went to the Ridge Estate label to give this (second-) label wine more prestige, I think.
Tom

Tom,

Thanks!! Its been a LONG time since I was there but I thought there were a few vineyards as you're driving up the road to Ridge (maybe Jimsomare?) that sometimes supplied fruit for the SCM Cab so I was wondering if (1) Ridge bought those other properties or (2) stopped using that fruit.

Thanks again.

Tom,
Thanks!! Its been a LONG time since I was there but I thought there were a few vineyards as you're driving up the road to Ridge (maybe Jimsomare?) that sometimes supplied fruit for the SCM Cab so I was wondering if (1) Ridge bought those other properties or (2) stopped using that fruit.
Thanks again.

Tom,
There's the vnyd right there on the left as you start up MB Rd. Where SunsetWnry was located at one time. Forget the name of it. FellomRanch??
Next one up in the switchback of the road is Jimsomare. But that is now farmed by Ridge and included in their MB Estate property. And then
almost to the top/upper wnry is a newer vnyd on the right/downhill side that is NOT included in the Ridge. Forget its name as well. That's about it on MB Road.
Tom

Thanks!