2008 Hidden Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 55 Percent Slope Sonoma County 750 ml

Vintage Sonoma Cabernet from 1,700 Feet

If you want to get a sense of the pedigree that Hidden Ridge carries in Northern California, turn to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, where the critic has raved: “These are clearly world-class Cabernets and should be considered by any serious collector for their cellars.” 100-point winemaker Tim Milos crafts high-altitude magic with fresh mountain fruit, planted at 1,700 feet above sea level. The result—especially in a dry, low-yield year like 2008—is a Cabernet with claret-like notes of cigar box spice and underbrush paired with the delicate aromatics and riveting freshness that come with elevation.

After a full decade in the cellar, the 2008 Hidden Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 55% Slope is a gentle giant that delivers all the velvety dark fruit power that collectors crave. Only, you don’t have to do the collecting—just the buying. Perfectly cellared and ready to drink, this is one of our most exciting library releases yet.

Hidden Ridge is set amidst Mayacamas mountain terrain so remote and rugged, 48 planted acres of Cabernet Sauvignon on the Sonoma side can only be accessed via 4-wheel-drive trucks and helicopters. Up a twisting, jagged path, this special plot exists in a land of extremes on the Sonoma County side of Spring Mountain. At 1,700 feet above sea level, Cabernet vines search deep into the sandy loam and volcanic basalt that make up slopes, which are indeed slanted at a 55% degree angle—steep enough to make you look over your shoulder at the abyss below and double-check that your boots are flat on the ground. The vineyards are by necessity tended only by hand.

Since the site is located above the fog line, sprawl terracing ensures that a mix of shade, mountaintop sunshine, and stiff breezes endow the grapes with their powerful tannic structure and firm acids.

This is truly one of the most breathtaking vineyards we’ve laid eyes on in Northern California, and the wines are a direct translation. It’s no wonder that Parker, who bequeathed to Hidden Ridge twelve scores between 94-100 points in recent vintages, has claimed that the top bottles “could compete with the very finest Cabernet-based wines in the world.”