1997 Ridge Monte Bello
Community Tasting Note
Collector1855 wrote:
Sunday, September 13, 2015 - Checking in on some younger Bordeaux and other treasures with a fellow collector friend. This wine recently came in first in a 15year vertical by a group of aficionados I know. Reason enough to buy a bottle and see as the 1997 vintage is of course a Napa classic.
TN: Medium garnet with brick rim. Expressive nose of dark fruit with tobacco eucalyptus, cedar wood, pine tree. Great complexity with a distinctively Californian profile - surely not Medoc but could possibly be taken for a super Tuscan as well from the nose. Enters the palate medium bodied, almost light, with great elegance and fully dissolved, soft tannins. Ripe fruit buffered by excellent tannins and freshness. This Santa Cruze Mouintain gem is far from the sometimes opulent but rather monolithic Napa offerings. Paul Draper knows his craft! Monte Bello remains one of the best and classy CabSav blend offerings of the US despite many strong competitors from Napa and Sonoma. I wish more wines of only 12.5% of alcohol had such mid-palate presence and aromatic depth. Outstanding! Fully mature, drink up.
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