Cuda Ridge Wines – Take a Look Under the Hood!
Background
Perhaps an odd title but you have to understand how Larry Dino came up with the name for the winery. Larry and Margie Dino the proprietors with Larry being the winemaker, were discussing what to name their newly formed winery. Larry was in the process of restoring a 1970 Barracuda (or ‘Cuda) and one of his friends mentioned his Cuda and the ridge that was off in the distance. Voila the name was formed. Now for taking a look under the hood on Cuda Ridge.
Picture from Cuda Ridge Wines website
Cuda Ridge has been on the fast track in making excellent and award winning wines. Here is a partial listing of his recent flagged awards:
5th Annual International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition
2021 Cabernet Franc – Double Gold and Best of Class by the Professional Judges.
SF Chronicle Wine Competition
2021 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon – Gold Medal
2021 Little Dog Vineyard Carménère – Gold Medal
2020 Estate Petit Verdot – Double Gold
Wine Enthusiast
2021 Casa De Vinas Carménère – 90 pts
2021 Little Dog Vineyard Carménère – 91 pts
2021 Insel Vineyard Carménère – 90 pts
Others
2019 Mélange d’ Amis (Cab Franc Blend) – Best of Show, Double Gold Medal at the 4th Annual International Cabernet Franc Competition
2019 Mélange d’ Amis (Cab Franc Blend) – Gold Medal – 2022 SF Chronicle Wine Competition; Gold Medal; Gold Medal 2021 Orange County Fair
Beyond the above mentioned awards, Cuda Ridge Wines has consistently rated 90+ points on various wines and many Gold Medals.
The Winery
The winery was formed in 2007 in Livermore at 2400 Arroyo Drive, Livermore, California. The vision for Cuda Ridge Wines has been from the onset to produce premium wines that are small lot and hand-crafted Bordeaux-style wines. Cuda Ridge’s current production is 2400 cases. Cuda Ridge Wines produces the following Bordeaux varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Carménère, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. He also has a non-Bordeaux style lineup wines which include Sangiovese, New-World style Cabernet Sauvignon, and an S&M blend. I have tasted many of his wines over the years but until recently never sat down and went through a complete tasting and I was so pleased with the experience.
A short time ago, we had guests in from out of town and the five of us ventured to Cuda Ridge Wines. They had only tasted his Cabernet Franc & Mélange d’ Amis once before. There in a side private room, Larry proceeded to offer us 26 wines available, a few with different vintages. From memory we tasted around 10 wines: Sauvignon Blanc, BDX Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère (two different vineyards), Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Malbec Reserve and Mélange d’ Amis. Tasting their Cabernet Franc lineup is their signature varietal and always a perennial 90+ pt and Gold Medal winner! Larry conducted the tasting with enthusiastic fanfare and plenty of animation as shown in the picture below:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
During the course of almost two hours, extensive note taking was done by the guests and many questions asked and subsequently answered by Larry:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While lots of discussion on winemaking, varietals, viticulture, etc., transpired, everyone did participate with vigor in the tastings!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Leaving the tasting room, we purchased some three cases of wine. While usually conservative in my purchasing, I left with many of my favorites from the day: 2020 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, 2020 Carménère Insel Vineyard and 2019 Mélange D’ Amis. The others purchased some of the same and many different ones like Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. In total we left with 3 cases of wine as it was that delicious!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
All the wines I purchased will make my annual list of Best Wines tasted in the year that comes out each December. More detail stories will be forth coming on each wine during the year.
Sláinte,
Michael