Ridge Vineyards
Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Santa Cruz Mountains, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Reddish tawny color. Bright and translucent, lots of sediment. Silky nose. Notes of sweet currants, herbs, cedar box and plums. Perfectly balanced fruit and structure with integrated tannins. Boyz all guessed old world eg Latour. Fun to throw a ringer at them. (Bday dinner 11/13)
Reddish tawny color. Bright and translucent, lots of sediment. Silky nose. Notes of sweet currants, herbs, cedar box and plums. Perfectly balanced fruit and structure with integrated tannins. Boyz all guessed old world eg Latour. Fun to throw a ringer at them. (Bday dinner 11/13)
Aug 3rd, 2019Ridge Wine Dinner. I brought this cloaked in a brown bag to share with the Ridge winemaker. He guessed late 80s which shows how long these wines can age. From a well stored bottle with an in to the neck fill. Old tawny color, translucent and clean. Linear nose with currant, saddle leather, old wood and dirty gravel stone. Perfectly balanced in the mouth with fruit that is slightly faded, but matched well with fully resolved tannins. With several hours of air a richness in the fruit developed that was extraordinary. Yet still some acidity and structure remains so this should stay in a nice drinking window for the foreseeable future. Winemaker Eric explained that based on inspection of the glass, the bottle I brought was one of the '78 MBs that was not rebottled due to a malo issue after initial bottling, which might explain how fresh it is versus other '78 MBs he said.
Ridge Wine Dinner. I brought this cloaked in a brown bag to share with the Ridge winemaker. He guessed late 80s which shows how long these wines can age. From a well stored bottle with an in to the neck fill. Old tawny color, translucent and clean. Linear nose with currant, saddle leather, old wood and dirty gravel stone. Perfectly balanced in the mouth with fruit that is slightly faded, but matched well with fully resolved tannins. With several hours of air a richness in the fruit developed that was extraordinary. Yet still some acidity and structure remains so this should stay in a nice drinking window for the foreseeable future. Winemaker Eric explained that based on inspection of the glass, the bottle I brought was one of the '78 MBs that was not rebottled due to a malo issue after initial bottling, which might explain how fresh it is versus other '78 MBs he said.
Feb 24th, 2017Dried rose petals, orange peel, black tea, and red dirt. Lovely!
Dried rose petals, orange peel, black tea, and red dirt. Lovely!
Aug 21st, 2016
Damn! This is probably one of my top 2 Monte Bello experiences.dried black cherries, tobacco, crème caramel, a thin green line of pyrazines, smoked meats, black tea, walnut skin, cedar, mocha, and lots of well worn leather. Not tired in the slightest. What an amazing bottle. Good acid, suave developed grip. Wow!
Damn! This is probably one of my top 2 Monte Bello experiences.dried black cherries, tobacco, crème caramel, a thin green line of pyrazines, smoked meats, black tea, walnut skin, cedar, mocha, and lots of well worn leather. Not tired in the slightest. What an amazing bottle. Good acid, suave developed grip. Wow!
Jul 25th, 2016
Wow. Velvety, lush and ripe. Fresh despite its age, holding up beautifully.
Wow. Velvety, lush and ripe. Fresh despite its age, holding up beautifully.
Jun 23rd, 2015This will do quite nicely.
This will do quite nicely.
Jun 18th, 2015Bottle didn't look in the best shape but the cork was intact and once opened, a first whiff suggested there is something special here. Bricking and reddish deep purple. Nose of whispy dried flowers, warmed blackberry pie filling, saddle and cigar box. A little barnyard exoticness too. In the mouth, fruit and structure in perfect balance. Opened 2 hrs, decanted and then drunk over 2 more hrs. Can still taste this the next day. Great showing. This should continue to be at peak for several years to come.
Bottle didn't look in the best shape but the cork was intact and once opened, a first whiff suggested there is something special here. Bricking and reddish deep purple. Nose of whispy dried flowers, warmed blackberry pie filling, saddle and cigar box. A little barnyard exoticness too. In the mouth, fruit and structure in perfect balance. Opened 2 hrs, decanted and then drunk over 2 more hrs. Can still taste this the next day. Great showing. This should continue to be at peak for several years to come.
May 10th, 2015Blind, thought it was 20 years younger. Lean in the mid palate, bright fruit and bright acid.
Blind, thought it was 20 years younger. Lean in the mid palate, bright fruit and bright acid.
Nov 1st, 2014