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Ridge wines with Paul Draper

Stockholm

Tasted June 25, 2013 by Vintomas with 432 views

Introduction

A tasting with Paul Draper featuring four young wines plus three older vintages of Monte Bello. Arranged by the Swedish importer Vinunic.

Flight 1 - Younger wines (4 notes)

White
2011 Ridge Chardonnay Estate USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
89 points
Nose with ripe yellow fruit - yellow apples, citrus, some tropical fruit - rather buttery oak note, some vanilla.
Full-bodied, ripe citrus, yellow apple, slightly oily, good acidity, some mineral. Good balance but too me an obvious New World style, more so than my few impressions of Monte Bello Chardonnay.
Drinkable now, can be cellared.
Red
2011 Ridge Lytton Springs USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
88 points
Deep red colour with some purple notes.
Nose with sweet red and dark fruit, including blackberries, hints of dried fruit, some chocholate. Slightly sweeter in the nose than Geyserville.
Palate with ripe and sweet berries, cherries and some blackberries, medium - tannins, good acidity, spice, some alcoholic fire. Good balance for a Zinfandel.
Accessible now, can be cellared.
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Red
2011 Ridge Geyserville USA, California, Sonoma County
89 points
Rather deep red colour with some purple notes.
Nose with sweet red and dark berries, hints of dried fruit, some perfume nots. Slightly more discrete nose than Lytton Springs.
Palate with ripe and sweet red berries, good concentration, medium(-) tannin, spice, hints of alcoholic fire. More balanced and polished on the palate than Lytton Springs.
Accessible now, can definitely be cellared.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2010 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
90 points
Deep red colour.
Nose with ripe and sweet blackcurants, some liquorice, some violets, nuanced nose, balanced oak notes with some chocolate and coffee.
Palate with ripe blackcurrants and red berries, very polished medium tannins, good acidity, aftertaste with berries and tannins.
Polished style, definitely accessible already now, but based on previous experience I can't rule out that it enters a "dumb phase" in a few years.

Flight 2 - Three vintages of Monte Bello (3 notes)

There seemed to be some bottle variation, as opinions differed somewhat on the three vintages relative merits.

Red
1994 Ridge Monte Bello USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
92 points
Medium red colour with a lighter edge with some brick colour.
Nose with clearly developed notes with barnyard and leather, blackcurrants, dark plums, a hint of dried fruit, and a hint of tar.
Medum bodied++, palate with blackcurrants, noticeable spice, earthy or gravelly notes, rather well integrated medium+ tannins, rather good acidity.
Well developed, accessible, but can take more cellaring since the tannins are rather present for a 19 years old wine.
The 1994 is more developed than the 1997, it is clearly Bordeaux-like with some right bank vibes.
Red
1997 Ridge Monte Bello USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
95 points
Medium red colour with a lighter edge.
Nose with clearly developed notes with barnyard and some leather, spice, blackcurrants.
Full-bodied with ripe and concentrated blackcurrants on the palate, very well integrated and polished tannins, spice, long aftertaste. Very polished and elegant style.
Good development, can take much more cellaring.
This wine showed much more pure fruit notes and was smoother and more polished than the 1994 or 1999, which contributed to my opinion that the 1997 clearly was the best wine of the three at this tasting. It definitely came across as Bordeaux-like.
Red
1999 Ridge Monte Bello USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
93 points
Medium to deep red colour, slightly lighter at the edge.
Developed nose with barnyard and leather aromas, blackcurrants, rather noticeable tarnotes, spice.
Full-bodied, blackcurrants on the palate, good concentration, spice, rather noticeable medium++ tannins, long and slightly tannic aftertaste.
Good development, can need some more years to peak.
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