Decanted for three hours prior to dinner as there was a bit of fine sediment in the bottle. Very dark color showing no visible signs of age. The nose again initially had some funk which does not show in the palate. Notes of dark fruit, cedar and pencil shavings, violet and cigar on the nose. Palate continues with nicely integrated tannins. The best showing yet for this bottle with years remaining. 96+
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Decanted for 3 hours. Could have decanted for 3 days. This is a monster of a wine. Just too young but will be a great wine as all the components are there. 13.2% abv. Loads of dark fruit, blackberries and some leather. Just so primary right now. Lots of depth and massive concentration. 93 today upside to 95+
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Monday Night Festive Blinds (Hawksmoor Guildhall): Served blind but by me so I knew what it was. Interestingly, this was bigger, perhaps sweeter, certainly oakier than the wines it was tasted alongside. It was just as good as I hoped it would be but for balance I might have chosen an older one. With that said - this really is the nuts.
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BWCCC Cycling Planning Meeting (Hawksmoor, Guildhall): Served blind at the perfect temperature, this has a charming green fruited coolness with touches of cedar and blackcurrant leaf. On the palate there is a little mintiness that steers me towards the new world rather than Bordeaux. Some exotic beef tea too with just a hint of pho like lemon grass and ginger. With some air there is a hint of tarragon and a couple of PPM of pine resin. So youthful on the palate. Many, many years ahead of it. A tour de force.
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Thanksgiving Wimps 2023 - Alfred Stieglitz Table (La Trompette): Well well well. Some wines don't suck. Real fine tannins, and a lovely substance there. On pouring this seemed less ready than its 08 flightmate - over the course of the dinner this got up there with the 97 - the 97 for current drinking, and this for the future. Yum.
Still tight at this point. I think the oak is in a slightly ackward balance vs everything else. Have confidence things sort out over time. Bet its drinks great at age 30.
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Opened and poured a couple of glasses to let sit for about 4 hours before sitting down to dinner of grilled NY steak and veggies.
Still continued to evolve throughout the evening.
Looks youthful in the glass with little bricking around the edges.
Tannins have nicely rounded leaving a bright acidity with muted fruit. Classic nose of Santa Cruz mountain eucalyptus with black pepper notes.
In a nice place but somewhat still in transition from youthful to “middle aged”…. and will certainly take on more interesting characteristics in the next 5 years.
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Decanted for 2.5 hours. Drinking really well, still a freshness about it, but tannins have completely integrated. Typical Monte Bello nose. Cassis and dark berries.
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Drank this bottle at Cook & Brew during the Little Red Dot 3rd Anniversary Dinner. Theme of the evening: Cabernet Sauvignon based wines which are more than 12 years and above $120.
Dark purple in colour. Nice beautiful bouquet on the nose. Dark fruits with a touch of lead. On the palate the fruit is more pronounced as compared to the Bordeaux and Super Tuscans. Some raspberries, cigar, aged leather started to show after a while in the glass.
Overall, this is a very well crafted wine with good finesse and finish.
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On Steve’s porch. PnP. (I know…) Took awhile to open up, of course. Great concentration of flavors with some nice violet on the finish (20% Merlot). Drinking great now but has enough backbone to go a few more years.
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1 hour decant and followed next to a 375 of 2007. This was a 750.
Excellent balance with a more modest but equally dynamic nose of cassis, tobacco, mint, and cedar. Medium body and more tempered with less polarity. Rich but balanced. Great finish. Drinking more elegantly than the 07 today but both bottles are excellent.
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Opened and decanted four hours before dinner. Inky dark in the glass with no apparent visual signs of age. Dark fruits on the nose with something odd as well, even after four hours. Whatever the funk was did not carry over into the palate, which was blackberry, violet and graphite, with integrated tannins. Holding well with no apparent hurry.
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Purchased on release and a half bottle. She’s beginning to drink well now but it’s still young. Decanted about one hour. nice crunchy red fruit little thin on the body, solid tannins, nice cedar on the nose. Needs a few more years to really begin to open up, I would hold for another five years.
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Excellent on its own as much as paired with a meal. We savoured the primary and then secondary flavours Eucalyptus came at the end which brought back memories of Santa Cruz
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Thanksgiving Wimps 2022 - James Baldwin Table (La Trompette): Really good stuff - a slightly elevated, ethereal take on MB - some discussion at the table as to whether this will be as good in 20 years as 90 year old Monte Bellos are today - my sense is very much yes, but I guess we will have to see. I intend to leave my remaining bottles for at least a little while - wish me luck!
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I'd somehow got it into my head that this was a "lesser" MB vintage - and recent experiences with the 98 has convinced me that such things may indeed exist. Anyway - this was nonsense - perhaps subtler, a finer blade than the 08 we've enjoyed so much recently, the classic MB pencil lead and menthol are there, along with an almost herbaceous savouriness. It was our wedding anniversary dinner and I gave K my last glass to finish with the cheese - this is a wine that both offers and requires pure love.
Saturday night with burgers and clone wars: First bottle from this case. A small taste left over from last night. Still more giving on the nose than the palate - a kind of sourness and restraint but clearly amazing quality here. There’s a joyous energy to the core of it, but this is still a pup - I will endeavour to wait a few more years before broaching the next. We also committed infanticide on an 08 earlier this year, which seemed much readier to drink. I don’t know how 10 ranks in the list of MB vintages but I suspect this is one for the somewhat long hall - I have a sense that this is what 95 may have tasted like when younger.
With that said - if the rockets start flying overhead and mortality beckons - if this is the last wine you drink…lucky you.
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2 hour decant and drank next to the ‘12 MB tonight
This wine generally felt warmer than the 2012 with richer and slightly stewier bright red fruit, hints of anise and a touch of oak. The nose and body were riper than expected with a lot less balance; far below previous bottles but still not bad. Clearly underperformed tonight.
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Like many tasters mentioned already, this will just keep on giving. Here we have the tip of the iceberg of Monte Bello development. Pencil lead, cedar, licorice root and black berry fruit on the nose. Body is tight & restrained, but shows so much underneath the cloak of youthfulness bricked by strong, unripe tannins. Great wine, but the only fault here is the price. If you looked for Bordeaux of the same quality, you could definitely get it equally priced or cheaper. It’s obvious you’re paying for brand name here. Such is life.
Very typical of MB. The nose includes cigar box and loamy earth notes. Green leaf, lean red berry, moderate but fine tannins and a high acidity that could use some integration.
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I completely agree with Gouldcampbell77’s comments. This is a beautiful, elegant (but brambly and dark at the same time) wine but it needs a long decant to open up today. Even when it did start opening up, it was barely showing what lies ahead for this wine. How many years will it take to get to it’s full strut? I am not sure…but I am confident this wine can hold another 20 years+ and probably should be laid down for at least another 5 to 10 years to try and find out all of this wine’s potential. Wish I had more from this vintage but I know I will need to be patient with the more recent vintage bottlings I have.
Decanted 2 hrs, which it needed to open up, especially on the nose.
Dark purple - still looks very young. The nose is like blackberry and raspberry fruit compote mixed with ashes from last night's camp fire. Typical flavours of dark forest fruit, blood and a whack of sour cherry which I always seem to find in Monte Bello. Plenty of grip and acidity to counter all that fruit and this is a much more balanced and nuanced wine than the Opus One 2010 consumed a few weeks ago which seems sweet and obvious by comparison.
The colour darkens and the flavours seem to get more concentrated as the evening develops leading me to think that this needs many more years to be drinking at its peak. Come to think of it, I've yet to taste a vintage of Monte Bello that IS ready to drink. The 2006 is still as dark and closed as a graveyard at midnight.
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Aromas of dark red fruit, toasted ceded, mint, and lead that lead into a well balanced, slightly primary but strong palate. Balanced, young and still on its first dimension with a long finish; appealing and enjoyable today. Upside from here
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Juicy; fruity and acidic. Bright, ripe, concentrated. Leads with purple fruit - somewhere between blackberry and plum? (Boysenberry or something?) Warm sweet anise and a hint of blue cheese funk.
Tastes quite young. Drinks nicely - tannins are fine and integrated - but I’d hold on to this for another 10 years if I had a few bottles.
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2010 Blind Cali Cab/Bordeaux Homage to Spurrier (Chez de la Mata): Blind. Primary aromas of sweet plum, tobacco and bell pepper. Very pure Cabernet but very young nose. Palate has chewy, dusty, structured fruit. Love the clear Cali Cab character and brooding structure. Better in 10+ years. Incorrectly guessed as the Mondavi - thought the dustiness could be Oakville. My 8/10, Group 7/10. Upside from here.
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From magnum. Decanted for about two hours. Deep ruby. A savory but appealing nose offers aromas of fresh red and black fruits, fresh mint, topsoil, and lots of toasty oak. Medium bodied on the palate with bright, medium+ acidity, tight but well-integrated tannins and lots of zippy black fruit flavors. This deserves time - especially from magnum - but has a certain appeal at this point.
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Dark dark when poured, noticeable sediment in the bottle and decanter. Initially closed nose with tons of oak (American non-toasted). After 5 minutes it magically opened up. Fabulous mouthfeel, luscious, balanced, dark cassis, plums, smoke, all perfectly balanced with acids and supple tannins. Wow. Too bad it's the last of a case brought on futures as the wine has never tasted better and has a decade or two to evolve.
Small taste at the winery in Cupertino. 2010 Monte Bello is showing very young as you'd expect. Dark fruit, lots of herbal notes, cedar, nice weight and beautiful silky texture. This is so classic and elegant and, at the same time, full bodied and not lacking power. It holds firm on the palate and really delivers on the long finish. 94+
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ink, pencil shavings, forest floor, eucalyptus, blackberries, baking spice, and black currants, ember, leather, black cherries and cacao
Really great nose but the palate is just so wound up even if you give it time. Had to score this on day 3 when the wine was finally showing me something, it's going to be great.
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Découvert à l’aveugle en Californie après quelques déductions, à Napa où je voyais un Volcanic Hill. Pas très loin stylistiquement avec ce cab américain en finesse et classicisme. À la fois fringuant et concentré, mais beaucoup de retenue. Être à beau potentiel, il commence à peine à s’ouvrir.
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Pnp. It's got a crazy good nose. It's also got a very bright, expressive palate but it's too young. It's going to be a great wine but it's not a Monte Bello yet. Unfortunately, it's going to need a lot of time. But if you can't wait give it an overnight slow ox and you'll enjoy it. 93 for now but it should go up.
Bright with refreshing acidity. Massive perfume nose of bright fruit and earth/mineral notes. Nose was the ticket! Palate a bit thinner and subdued fruit than expected but improved over a few hours. Lovely wine.
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Coravined one glass. Outstanding aromatic and surprisingly floral nose. Powerful yet elegantly balanced palate of dark cherry, cassis, blueberry, graphite, leather,medium plus acidity and velvety tannins. Lasted 45 seconds. Lisa said it was the best wine she's ever tasted
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Tasted at the winery in Cupertino. Nose of big black fruits, caramelized sugar, cassis, and light pencil shavings. Tastes of bold blackberry and bold black cherries, cassis, and kirsch. Very balanced between the alcohol, tannins, and fruit with a finish that seems to go on forever. A wonderful wine. Monte Bello rarely lets me down and this one did not disappoint.
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The Bordeaux flavors and this structure in this wine just never let up. Every time I drink it, it just gets better. Opened it early and let it decant for an hour. Paired it with a Tomahawk ribeye. Deep fruit, bright acidity and an unmistakable graphite core.
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Made the happy mistake of pulling this as I had thought I had the '11 in my hands until after I popped the cork. Gave it about 3 hours of air on day 1 and it was good to go, deep dark violet to the rim, still very tight with grippy, drying tannins and a streak of salinity that reminded me of pickle brine (which I love). Fruit was definitely there with plums, blueberries and more vanilla coming out on day 2. Paired well with strips, but could have done just fine with a big ribeye.
Thoroughly enjoyed its complexity, and this is probably right up there in my WOTY here at the halfway point. Don't hesitate to give it a try if you have a few, will probably wait another 5 years to check in on my next one.
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Aromas of plum, cedar, toasted oak, and pencil shavings that precede a sublime palate with great tannins, structure and acidity. Mouth feel has multiple layers that seemed to soften with more glass time and rounds out with a great finish. A great bottle of MB drinking well now but built for the long haul.
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Opened for 2.5 hours and left in bottle. Rich Plum and Cassis fruit. Hint of vanilla in the background. Velvety tannins. Sensuous mouthfeel. This is a great wine.
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Decanted for 1 hour prior to drinking; great nose with lots of fruit (plum and blackberry) and some floral notes. Got a ton of black fruit on the palate and a decent amount of oak. Long finish. This wine was great now but feels like it would benefit from more time in bottle. Provenance: purchased directly from Ridge. Stored at 55F from purchase to consumption
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Great nose upon opening; did not decant, used Coravin on first day for an on-line Ridge tasting. Very good but way too tight; opened up over the next three days, but didn't quite come together as I had hoped.
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Caramel, chocolate, bananas, dark berries, great length and density with a beautiful acidity that provides structure. To my surprise this was fully approachable already
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2010 Cabernet Vintage Night (Aretsky's Patroon - NYC): Opened, but not decanted, for over an hour before drinking. Part of a 2010 Cabernet tasting. Easily the WOTN. Elegant, with a long finish. My first bottle of this vintage, after waiting patiently after buying direct from the winery many years ago. A restrained nose, with notes of Cassis, and some spices.
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Drinking beautifully right now, though it lost some oomph after decanting for 2 hours and drinking over the course of 2 more. If I had another, I would probably forgo decanting.
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Ouvert 2+ heures avant dégustation. Magnifique couleur rouge sang tirant même sur le violet, brillante. Notes puissantes de cassis, autres fruits rouges, menthol. En bouche, le vin est puissant, viril, sans jamais être lourd, complexe et termine sur des tanins juteux. Belle finale. 94+ et au début de son plateau de maturité.
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Not my best monte bello. Good dark red color, no tawny at all. Some grainy sediment. Muted and a bit lifeless with almost no finish. Maybe just a tiny bit corked, maybe just an off bottle.
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Absolutely singing! Firing on all cylinders after a two hour decant. Perfect old world new world balance, not Napa jam and not Bordeaux boots, best of both worlds
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The first that hit me on the nose was cherry.... leather and some fresh darn fruit. Then.... Just bloody hard core love! I need to find another bottle and pop it 2037... The Monte Bello 1992 is still my favourite wine of all time.
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Vinetasters: Ridge Monte Bello (Skokie, IL): Served double blind. A very nice balance of fruit and oak on the nose here. The palate is sweet and youthful, but the complexity seems to be somewhat less here. The fruit comes off a little purple, and there isn’t as much complexity as I would like. My 7th, group's 8th.
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Beautiful wine! After 60-90 min decant, opening nicely with dark berries, earthy floral notes and mild spices on nose. Silky smooth tannins with classic brambles, berries and rocky notes on palate. Long lovely finish with still lots of structure that bodes well for future bottles. Served with NY strip with Gorgonzola garlic sauce.
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Decanted for approximately one hour. Beautiful deep purple hue. Initially tight on the nose but opened up after some vigorous swirling where it displayed a lovely jammy brambly blend of currents and black cherry. Much of the same on the palate. Medium to full bodied expressing ample fruit, a loamy middle and a lovely long finish with well rounded tannins and a hint of spice. Went great with NY strip with gorganzola. A truly exceptional wine that is in a great place with a lot left in the tank. Should continue going for the next 5 to 10 years. Drink or hold.
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I attended a wine dinner last night and at 4PM decanted this using a gurgler into a decanter with a very broad, flat base. Right out of the bottle the wine had nothing going for it, it was so closed up. It also threw off a surprising amount of sediment for such a young vintage. At 6PM I then returned it to the bottle using a gurgler and went to the dinner. It was a late night, and my bottle didn't get poured until 10PM, which was good, as it needed the extra time. By then it had opened up and was very good, but not outstanding.
I have 11 more bottles, and based on the above experience, I don't plan to open another for at least another 5 years, and I will hopefully increase my rating score at that point.
Ouvert 3+ heures avant dégustation. Rouge sang assez brillant, le nez offre des arômes immédiats sur le cassis, les fruits rouges, la prune et une touche d’herbes de Provence. En bouche, le vin s’affirme en puissance, il montre de la persistance et a des tanins un rien farineux au début mais qui se polissent avec le temps. Forcément très jeune, ce MB gagnera en complexité avec le temps mais celui qui le boit aujourd’hui aura beaucoup de plaisir...comme nous!
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Very elegant and feminine. Almost surprising it’s most Cabernet Sauvignon (74%). Subtle herbs on the nose. Body emphasizes pencil lead and iron. Not showing much fruit. Long complex finish.
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Second Sunday Group: Ridge Monte Bello 2005-2012 (Jeff's): Double blind. Ripe dark fruit, pepper, spice and pine forest notes. Has a briny quality on the palate, very unique in this lineup. Ripe dark fruit and briny notes. Lingering finish. 88-89 pts.
95+ Sehr dunkles Rot. Pop and Pour doch schön jugendlich fruchtig. Extrem schwarzfruchtig,würzig. Oliven,Hauch Kakao,dicht,balsamisch,sehr tief,fleischig ,viel Extrakt,extreme Länge. Fraglos ein Versprechen in die Zukunft,aber muss wirklich sagen auch jetzt, aus der Kleinflasche, sehr gut zu geniessen.
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Tasted at 12 vintage vertical by Michel Jamais. Young nose a bit tightly wound of black currant/cassis, lavender, black cherries. Full body. Elegant palate of cassis, plum, cedar high fine-grained tannins. Plus finish. 13,2%
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Despite being 7 years old and run through a Vinturi, this bottle was still quite tight. It definitely showed signs of being a gem, but needs a few more years to mature.
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Tasted during a matter of taste walkabout, so only brief impressions. Again the Ridge Monte Bello is among the very the best California Cabernets, delivering not only ripe fruit but also grace and aromatic length. TN: Right off the bat you know this is something special on your palate. Dark, cool fruit, eucalyptus. Elegant mouth feel, soft tannins and sublime finish. A great CabSav that also spoiled Latour/Lafite/Mouton palates like mine will like.
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Out of a half bottle. Drank over a half day. It was at its best when we opened it. Started out very earthy and Bordeaux like. It became light and cherry Fruity. I liked it but not as much as I normally love Monte Bello. The others didn't like it. I'll sit on mine to see where they go. It's good but disappointing.
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This is a lively expression of the Cabernet grape. If it were a stereo, the volume would be turned up loud. Vibrant nose & flavor profile... this wine is alive right now. However, it is still very primary in its evolution. Therefore, if you like the taste of youthful expressive Cali Cabs, decant and drink now. If you are like me and prefer some more secondary notes, lay it down for at least 5 more years. Based on where this wine is now, I am excited to taste it again down the road.
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On the fresh, bright, crisp, structured side of the style range, the wine is powerful, restrained, firm and you would expect, quite young. Give it another 8-10 years of sleep and lets see what we really have. Ridge Monte Bello has such a great track record for aging, I am sure it will be worth the wait.
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Decanted 2 hours. Bouchan in Santa Barbara. Pairing w Heirloom summer tomatoes mushroom Diah and giant beautiful pork chop. Amazing.
Beautiful color in the glass. Such a beautiful nose. I could bottle this ...
Entry is light but serious, then the wine explodes, expands, tons ripe sour fruit. Some green some serious cherries, mid palate is a bit confused then a nice tannin sweeps over. Some oak.
Still primary, but what a wine underneath. Serious Yummy factor.
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The wine is clear and bright with a deep ruby colour.
The nose is clean and youthful, showing pronounced intensity aromas of walnuts, clove, cedar, dark plums, dark cherries and black pepper.
The wine is dry in the mouth with a medium+ acidity. It has high fine-grained tannins and a medium well-integrated alcohol. It has a full body and pronounced intensity flavours of walnuts, clove, cedar, dark plums, dark cherries and black pepper. The finish is long.
It is an outstanding quality wine. I thas a lingering finish and very concentrated flavours in an harmonious balance with the tannins. The acidity provides freshness and the moderate alcohol prevents it from being too powerful. It also displays a very elegant complexity provided by oak ageing.
The wine is too young, it has enough tannic and acidic structure to being opening itself in a couple of years, and to develop more complex tertiary aromas in 10+ years. We decanted it to allow it to open a bit and being to display its elegant distinctive aromas.
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We opened a half bottle during dinner at the club, "decanting" it in our glass for an hour or so before we jumped in. Inky crimson color with notes of cassis, kirsch, lavender, violets, dark chocolate, black cherry and plum. An amazing start with a wonderfully complex and enjoyable bouquet. It's a bit of a let down on the palate by comparison though. Tannins are quite firm, as expected, but very fine-grained and even slightly sweet. Flavors of black fruit dominate- blackberry, plum and cassis- along with violet and cherry nuances and vanilla on the finish. It's somewhat thin across the palate at the moment though. I have no doubt this will flesh out as it matures. A classic in the making, but for now, at least in this format, it is much too young and in an awkward phase. I'll look to 2022+ to open the first 750ml.
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Glossy Dark red color, soft texture in the mouth, almost velvetry. Delicate tanins, medium persistence and pronounced reartaste. I did expect more from this wine, since Its 73 vintage won Paris Judgement second edition, but it is very good to drink right now. I left it breathing for one hour before consuption.
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Decanted for about an hour before having with beef stew, then drank over the following three hours. I know this was too young, but I have enough that I felt like checking on it. It was fantastic and glad I did. It really showed pretty well right out of the gate, as I had a taste right after popping it open. Aroma showed a good level of dark fruits with tar and graphite (pencil shavings). The taste had a bit of a lighter fruit profile than the nose - more of a raspberry than blackberry. Really nice acidity on this throughout the palate as well. It's hard to imagine this may get even better, but I look forward to the rest of my bottles.
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Good depth of cassis fruit ably supported by some cedary oak. There's a whiff of vanilla and a little tobacco. It is relatively full and polished. Tannins are ripe and round.
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Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting (City Walk @ Metreon, San Francisco, CA): Deep purple color; classic Cali cab nose with huge perfect black fruit, slight mint, dense; full bodied, exquisitely balanced tannins, velvety texture; long finish. Very young but absolutely superb. For the price, this is a silly value. 96-98
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This will be a classic wine in time. The purity of the fruit on the nose is amazing. Good oak treatment, the palate has good acidity, and grippy tannins.
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Ridge Monte Bello tasting room June 29, 2014: Black ruby color. Showing aromas of mineral, crushed stone, dried lavender, anise, cedar, leather and tobacco. Fruit, floral and mineral-driven on the palate with layered notes of currant, lavender, earth and savory depth. Complex. Finely polished but sharp tannins. Loads of complexity on the finish. Epic at a quick glance.
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amazing nose of blackberry, spice, and roasted herbs. the palate shows firm acidity and gripping tannins framing black fruits and savory herb notes. this is a baby - unbridled and intense. looking forward to seeing it evolve. wouldn't touch the next bottle until 2019.
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Aroma: smoky and spicy with notes of pencil shavings, sandalwood and rose petals. Palate: rather tannic and closed at this stage with suggestions of cherry fruit, graphite, blackberry and green pepper. A little hard to read because of its backwardness.
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Great MB. Nose a bit tightly wound of cassis and tobacco. Palate of cassis, plum, cedar, milk chocolate, tobacco box, pencil lead, with a bit of smoke. Medium acid. Full body. Plus finish. Bigger than normal but balanced showing more nuance than most cabs without being scatter-shot either. Also bit darker than normal. Medium acid, full body, plus finish. Tannin is there and relatively firm but polished enough and showing enough stuffing now that it can be drunk with a decant for those liking intensely structured wine. Personally, it's a long hold. 94+
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Clear, dark crimson, pink rim, slow thick tears Clean, med intensity, aromas of red cherries, black currants, medicinal, slight smoke. You can smell the terroir! Dry, med- body, med- acidity, med tannins, a bit watery for Ridge standards, med- alcohol, further tastes of dark cherries, ash, cooked plums. Med+ finish
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Tasted at the winery. Second time I've had this in the last 6 months or so. Inky dark purple color, with beautiful fragrant nose and palate of spice, with nutmeg and cinnamon. Beautiful.
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A Tasting at Ridge (Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs Estate): Inky red color with aromas of violets, caramel, black fruit- cassis, and vanilla. Full-bodied but so elegant and refined. Cassis, blue fruit, caramel, vanilla, spice and lavender. Lingering finish. So well-balanced; wonderful. 95-96 pts.
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At the winery. Double decanted 2h ahead. Tasted after the 2011 Estate Cab. A lot more going on here, very complex nose of cassis, blueberries, tobacco, and plums. A lot more concentration here, surprisingly soft, ripe tannins. Extremely well balanced with finesse and elegance. Great length. Save at least another 10 years and try again.
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Tasted at Ridge Geyserville. Dark purple color. Breath-taking nose of dark berries (black currant/cassis, black cherries), smoke, minerality, coffee, flowers, etc. On the palate there are also notes of dark chocolate emerging as well as plenty of dark fruits and some menthol and some sweet spices. Full-bodied and very dense with medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin that is incredibly silky. There is a fantastic sense of balance here. Despite the power and density it never feels heavy or forced. Amazing length. A fantastic Montebello with the stuffing to age for a very long time. It's made from 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc and was the last wine at our amazing tasting @ Ridge.
Classic MB. Very aromatic with notes of smoke, wood, ash. Spicy fruit that has dark chocolate and a piney note, wide open texturally. Fresh, juicy mid palate. The finish is still loaded with tannins. Not dissimilar than a recent 375 of the 1992 MB. Delicious.
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About 200 cases? Nice complex nose already showing some evolution, sensuous palate with well integrated oak and again showing more evolution than expected, already drinking very well. reminiscence of top Bordeaux, very long finish. Great but not sure it will "continue to develop over the next 30 years." +++(+)
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Nose is toast and a touch of smoke. Beautiful sweet oak aromas. A touch of butterscotch? Flavors are elegant with big backbone. Finish turns a touch sweet (not in a bad way). A little belle pepper, pain grille, restrained. Tasted at the winery from a 375ml.
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Tasted at the winery. A more midweight, elegant version of Monte Bello. The last MB I tasted young was the 07; this has far less power and concentration, with a more slender frame. But there's still enough sap in the midpalate and a lovely finish. Needs time to integrate the oak but the material is there. A very good wine but I'm not sure it will have the oomph to last 30 years like MB usually does, but given the track record, who would bet against it?
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About one third of the bottle remained from the previous night. Day two features aromas of violets, lavender and a nice mix of red and black fruits. The tannins have softened and one finds flavors of red and black fruit, vanilla and graphite. Good length on the finish. 94-95 pts.
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Opened by Allred and tried on day 2. 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Notes of chocolate, carmel and currants. Good concentration. Drinking surprisingly well now but not as good as the 1990, 1995 or 2002 that I've had all with 10+ years of age on them. Give this time. 93 points.
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Ridge Vineyards Virtual Winemaker Tasting of the Fall Releases (Our house): This, as all the other wines in tonight's lineup, as instructed by the winery, was double decanted 90 minutes prior to the tasting. We were very surprised by how accessible and open this was. Inky crimson color featuring aromas of vanilla, black currants, green tobacco and violets. Tannins are firm, but very fine and certainly not obtrusive. Flavors of vanilla, black currants, black cherry and florals and progress towards red fruit as the night wore on. Ends with nice balance and length. 94+ pts.
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Ridge tasting at Allred's. This was surprisingly approachable after a 2-3 hour decant. This had beautiful floral notes with graphite, blackberry and tobacco (cigar). Nice acidity with already integrated tannins. 94+.
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Inky dark color. Aromas of pure red cherry and dark blackberry. Similar flavors with subtle toast added in. Medium to full body. Silky mouthfeel until you get to the finish. Tight and gripping tannins. Needs some more bottle time but showing amazing potential.
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At Gary's Grand tasting. Part of a flight of Ridge - one of the more consistent, unique wines from Calif (in my opinion). By Ridge standards this is obviously a baby. 74% Cab, classic Bordeaux-blend, nose reflects this - red/black fruits, pencil/lead, earth. palate had all the signature MB notes of currants, dark cherry, blackberry, charred oak.
Full bodied, big but elegant finish. Would let this have another 5 years before touching it. May be closing down
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74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Dark ruby color. Intoxicating nose of red and black fruits. Tastes of blackberry, leather, earth, and cherry with some currant notes. Full bodied. Chewy tannins. Well balanced with refreshing acidity. Elegant finish that seems to be quite closed down at the moment. Hold.
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(from 375ml) Fun to taste a lighter vintage, as I've only tried the much bigger 2007 young. After about 90-120 minutes, this is remarkably good. It definitely shows as a wine that is going to get better and better over time, but it is already capable of carrying/elevating a meal. Strong tannins and good structure, while still coming across as light and elegant.
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This wine starts out with some similar aromas to the Geyserville we just tasted, but more creamy and with more finesse. A bit more oak. On the palate there is raw fruit, and yet a perfect symbiosis between the fruity kick and he balanced finesse of the wine. A piece of art...
50+5+11+17+8 (91p)
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From 375. Needed just a bit of time to open. Young, showing some vanillin, but actually not enough to put me off. Raspberry and blackberry fruit. Incredibly structured and complex for being so young. Delicious.
74% CS, 20% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cab Franc. EB's notes suggest this will drink well over the next 30 years.
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From 375 mL. Purple-red color with near opacity. Full aromas of cherry, currant, vanilla, and plum. This is a very enjoyable young cabernet-based wine with full fruit flavors but is not yet Monte Bello. Flavors range from cherry to currant on the fruit spectrum with medium-grained tannins dominating the mid-palate and carrying into a spicy, vanilla and currant infused long finish. Seems like another solid Monte Bello, but will need to be left to develop in the bottle until sometime in the 2020s by my estimation. Hold.
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Cherries, red as well as black forest fruits, sweet spices, a lot of sweetness but all in beautiful harmony. A beautiful and refined wine. So young already a pleasure. Around 2020 this will be a beauty. And probably still between 2025 and 2030+. (Tasted the 1995 beside it which was great and still had enough power for more years of ageing…) 92++
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Final Assemblage tasted at the winery. Level of complexity and refined elegance is what keeps me coming back for more. Earthy nose with currant, blackberry, bramble, herbs and damask rose petal. Tannins are young, of course, but refined. Long finish, silky mouthfeel and amazing balance. I think the cellar notes are unique to Montebello in California wines and are attributable to natural flora used to inoculate the fermentation.
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Vanilla, red fruit nose. Palate of cherry, earth, cinnamon, vanilla and coffee and with just a hint of floral menthol from the Verdot. Good mouth feel and plenty of length. Tannins are a bit youthful, but not too grippy and suprisingly approachable, but as with all MB's easily go 10-15 years. Delightful. 94+
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Cherry cola, vanilla aroma. Complex flavors including vanilla, graphite, loam, muted black cherries, and a touch of green tannin. Probably fairly closed right now. Needs quite a few more years to mellow and mature the tannin. Tannins are not overly assertive, however. Moderate acidity and excellent length.
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Excellent wine. Primary at this point. Still some good stuff in a tough vintage. Tough to discern too much nuance at this point. Almost as good as the 09, but I like the elegance of the 2008 a ton.
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A proper purple-bodied cask sample this one. Clearly tight and tannic but the purity of the fruit already stands out. Rather ethereal notes of garden mint get a little lost in the roar of the young fruit, but should develop. Tannins a little chunky. Promising, particularly noting how tough this vintage was for Ridge. 92+
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The first assemblage of the 2010 Monte Bello. At the moment it is a very dense, dark purple colour with a vibrant floral nose; aromas of violet, stewed rhubarb, cassis and bay leaves. Although nearly as young as a wine can be, it has a great balance of sweet fruit and solid, but very ripe tannins. There is a touch of sharpness to the fruit at the moment but Eric Baugher believes this will be one of the greatest vintages of Monte Bello ever. A lovely treat to try this.
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Tasted as part of a Sampler tasting. Almost unfair to score this wine as it is still very young and tasted like a sample. That said, it is drinking well now. On the nose a blackcurrant/herbal garrigue note which is satisfying and powerful. On the palate very fresh fruit (as you would expect) with very fine tannins which already seemed to be fullyi intergrated. Also nice acidity and rhubarb. Not really sure how this wine will develop - I was assured this was a wine for the long term but remain unconvinced for the moment.
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3/12/2024 - thelostverse wrote: 96 Points
Decanted for three hours prior to dinner as there was a bit of fine sediment in the bottle. Very dark color showing no visible signs of age. The nose again initially had some funk which does not show in the palate. Notes of dark fruit, cedar and pencil shavings, violet and cigar on the nose. Palate continues with nicely integrated tannins. The best showing yet for this bottle with years remaining. 96+
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1/28/2024 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Could have decanted for 3 days. This is a monster of a wine. Just too young but will be a great wine as all the components are there. 13.2% abv. Loads of dark fruit, blackberries and some leather. Just so primary right now. Lots of depth and massive concentration. 93 today upside to 95+
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12/4/2023 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Monday Night Festive Blinds (Hawksmoor Guildhall): Served blind but by me so I knew what it was. Interestingly, this was bigger, perhaps sweeter, certainly oakier than the wines it was tasted alongside. It was just as good as I hoped it would be but for balance I might have chosen an older one. With that said - this really is the nuts.
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12/4/2023 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 94 Points
BWCCC Cycling Planning Meeting (Hawksmoor, Guildhall): Served blind at the perfect temperature, this has a charming green fruited coolness with touches of cedar and blackcurrant leaf. On the palate there is a little mintiness that steers me towards the new world rather than Bordeaux. Some exotic beef tea too with just a hint of pho like lemon grass and ginger. With some air there is a hint of tarragon and a couple of PPM of pine resin. So youthful on the palate. Many, many years ahead of it. A tour de force.
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11/23/2023 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Thanksgiving Wimps 2023 - Alfred Stieglitz Table (La Trompette): Well well well. Some wines don't suck. Real fine tannins, and a lovely substance there. On pouring this seemed less ready than its 08 flightmate - over the course of the dinner this got up there with the 97 - the 97 for current drinking, and this for the future. Yum.
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10/28/2023 - deadwax Likes this wine:
Still tight at this point. I think the oak is in a slightly ackward balance vs everything else. Have confidence things sort out over time. Bet its drinks great at age 30.
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10/7/2023 - rjt986 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened and poured a couple of glasses to let sit for about 4 hours before sitting down to dinner of grilled NY steak and veggies.
Still continued to evolve throughout the evening.
Looks youthful in the glass with little bricking around the edges.
Tannins have nicely rounded leaving a bright acidity with muted fruit. Classic nose of Santa Cruz mountain eucalyptus with black pepper notes.
In a nice place but somewhat still in transition from youthful to “middle aged”…. and will certainly take on more interesting characteristics in the next 5 years.
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9/30/2023 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent - modern style - nice balance, great fruit. No greenness. Tasted side by side with the 2020
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5/21/2023 - VinCA wrote:
Decanted for 2.5 hours. Drinking really well, still a freshness about it, but tannins have completely integrated. Typical Monte Bello nose. Cassis and dark berries.
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4/28/2023 - stayhappy21 wrote: 92 Points
Drank this bottle at Cook & Brew during the Little Red Dot 3rd Anniversary Dinner. Theme of the evening: Cabernet Sauvignon based wines which are more than 12 years and above $120.
Dark purple in colour. Nice beautiful bouquet on the nose. Dark fruits with a touch of lead. On the palate the fruit is more pronounced as compared to the Bordeaux and Super Tuscans. Some raspberries, cigar, aged leather started to show after a while in the glass.
Overall, this is a very well crafted wine with good finesse and finish.
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4/8/2023 - BoulderWine Likes this wine: 95 Points
On Steve’s porch. PnP. (I know…) Took awhile to open up, of course. Great concentration of flavors with some nice violet on the finish (20% Merlot). Drinking great now but has enough backbone to go a few more years.
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3/16/2023 - mchern02 wrote: 94 Points
1 hour decant and followed next to a 375 of 2007. This was a 750.
Excellent balance with a more modest but equally dynamic nose of cassis, tobacco, mint, and cedar. Medium body and more tempered with less polarity. Rich but balanced. Great finish. Drinking more elegantly than the 07 today but both bottles are excellent.
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2/10/2023 - thelostverse wrote: 94 Points
Opened and decanted four hours before dinner. Inky dark in the glass with no apparent visual signs of age. Dark fruits on the nose with something odd as well, even after four hours. Whatever the funk was did not carry over into the palate, which was blackberry, violet and graphite, with integrated tannins. Holding well with no apparent hurry.
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1/29/2023 - pawine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Purchased on release and a half bottle. She’s beginning to drink well now but it’s still young. Decanted about one hour. nice crunchy red fruit little thin on the body, solid tannins, nice cedar on the nose. Needs a few more years to really begin to open up, I would hold for another five years.
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1/15/2023 - christ80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent on its own as much as paired with a meal. We savoured the primary and then secondary flavours Eucalyptus came at the end which brought back memories of Santa Cruz
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1/1/2023 - Lord Marc Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was very good, tannins were mild and fruit was balance. I would not wait much longer if you have some, before the fruit mellows out.
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11/24/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Thanksgiving Wimps 2022 - James Baldwin Table (La Trompette): Really good stuff - a slightly elevated, ethereal take on MB - some discussion at the table as to whether this will be as good in 20 years as 90 year old Monte Bellos are today - my sense is very much yes, but I guess we will have to see. I intend to leave my remaining bottles for at least a little while - wish me luck!
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9/25/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
I'd somehow got it into my head that this was a "lesser" MB vintage - and recent experiences with the 98 has convinced me that such things may indeed exist. Anyway - this was nonsense - perhaps subtler, a finer blade than the 08 we've enjoyed so much recently, the classic MB pencil lead and menthol are there, along with an almost herbaceous savouriness. It was our wedding anniversary dinner and I gave K my last glass to finish with the cheese - this is a wine that both offers and requires pure love.
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5/14/2022 - desler wrote: 89 Points
Not yet ready, the tannins are still prominent after 2 hours of decant. We'll wait several years before I open another bottle
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4/9/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Saturday night with burgers and clone wars: First bottle from this case. A small taste left over from last night. Still more giving on the nose than the palate - a kind of sourness and restraint but clearly amazing quality here. There’s a joyous energy to the core of it, but this is still a pup - I will endeavour to wait a few more years before broaching the next. We also committed infanticide on an 08 earlier this year, which seemed much readier to drink. I don’t know how 10 ranks in the list of MB vintages but I suspect this is one for the somewhat long hall - I have a sense that this is what 95 may have tasted like when younger.
With that said - if the rockets start flying overhead and mortality beckons - if this is the last wine you drink…lucky you.
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3/20/2022 - mchern02 wrote: 91 Points
2 hour decant and drank next to the ‘12 MB tonight
This wine generally felt warmer than the 2012 with richer and slightly stewier bright red fruit, hints of anise and a touch of oak. The nose and body were riper than expected with a lot less balance; far below previous bottles but still not bad. Clearly underperformed tonight.
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3/9/2022 - grapenomad wrote: 92 Points
Like many tasters mentioned already, this will just keep on giving. Here we have the tip of the iceberg of Monte Bello development. Pencil lead, cedar, licorice root and black berry fruit on the nose. Body is tight & restrained, but shows so much underneath the cloak of youthfulness bricked by strong, unripe tannins. Great wine, but the only fault here is the price. If you looked for Bordeaux of the same quality, you could definitely get it equally priced or cheaper. It’s obvious you’re paying for brand name here. Such is life.
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2/3/2022 - guitarguy wrote: 91 Points
Very typical of MB. The nose includes cigar box and loamy earth notes. Green leaf, lean red berry, moderate but fine tannins and a high acidity that could use some integration.
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2/3/2022 - missionpk Likes this wine:
Still tasting young, but also still tasting good. (375ml)
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1/22/2022 - toddmk Likes this wine: 93 Points
I completely agree with Gouldcampbell77’s comments. This is a beautiful, elegant (but brambly and dark at the same time) wine but it needs a long decant to open up today. Even when it did start opening up, it was barely showing what lies ahead for this wine. How many years will it take to get to it’s full strut? I am not sure…but I am confident this wine can hold another 20 years+ and probably should be laid down for at least another 5 to 10 years to try and find out all of this wine’s potential. Wish I had more from this vintage but I know I will need to be patient with the more recent vintage bottlings I have.
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12/3/2021 - gouldcampbell77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hrs, which it needed to open up, especially on the nose.
Dark purple - still looks very young. The nose is like blackberry and raspberry fruit compote mixed with ashes from last night's camp fire. Typical flavours of dark forest fruit, blood and a whack of sour cherry which I always seem to find in Monte Bello. Plenty of grip and acidity to counter all that fruit and this is a much more balanced and nuanced wine than the Opus One 2010 consumed a few weeks ago which seems sweet and obvious by comparison.
The colour darkens and the flavours seem to get more concentrated as the evening develops leading me to think that this needs many more years to be drinking at its peak. Come to think of it, I've yet to taste a vintage of Monte Bello that IS ready to drink. The 2006 is still as dark and closed as a graveyard at midnight.
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11/6/2021 - mchern02 wrote: 93 Points
Aromas of dark red fruit, toasted ceded, mint, and lead that lead into a well balanced, slightly primary but strong palate. Balanced, young and still on its first dimension with a long finish; appealing and enjoyable today. Upside from here
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9/3/2021 - unrelenting wrote: 98 Points
Deep chocolate
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6/13/2021 - jonh1 Likes this wine:
Juicy; fruity and acidic. Bright, ripe, concentrated. Leads with purple fruit - somewhere between blackberry and plum? (Boysenberry or something?) Warm sweet anise and a hint of blue cheese funk.
Tastes quite young. Drinks nicely - tannins are fine and integrated - but I’d hold on to this for another 10 years if I had a few bottles.
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5/29/2021 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
2010 Blind Cali Cab/Bordeaux Homage to Spurrier (Chez de la Mata): Blind. Primary aromas of sweet plum, tobacco and bell pepper. Very pure Cabernet but very young nose. Palate has chewy, dusty, structured fruit. Love the clear Cali Cab character and brooding structure. Better in 10+ years. Incorrectly guessed as the Mondavi - thought the dustiness could be Oakville. My 8/10, Group 7/10. Upside from here.
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4/24/2021 - wino_tim wrote: 92 Points
From magnum. Decanted for about two hours. Deep ruby. A savory but appealing nose offers aromas of fresh red and black fruits, fresh mint, topsoil, and lots of toasty oak. Medium bodied on the palate with bright, medium+ acidity, tight but well-integrated tannins and lots of zippy black fruit flavors. This deserves time - especially from magnum - but has a certain appeal at this point.
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3/21/2021 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
Nose: 90 Palate: 90
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3/10/2021 - michael47 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark dark when poured, noticeable sediment in the bottle and decanter. Initially closed nose with tons of oak (American non-toasted). After 5 minutes it magically opened up. Fabulous mouthfeel, luscious, balanced, dark cassis, plums, smoke, all perfectly balanced with acids and supple tannins. Wow. Too bad it's the last of a case brought on futures as the wine has never tasted better and has a decade or two to evolve.
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3/3/2021 - signotim Likes this wine: 94 Points
Small taste at the winery in Cupertino. 2010 Monte Bello is showing very young as you'd expect. Dark fruit, lots of herbal notes, cedar, nice weight and beautiful silky texture. This is so classic and elegant and, at the same time, full bodied and not lacking power. It holds firm on the palate and really delivers on the long finish. 94+
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1/26/2021 - pkouchu wrote: 96 Points
ink, pencil shavings, forest floor, eucalyptus, blackberries, baking spice, and black currants, ember, leather, black cherries and cacao
Really great nose but the palate is just so wound up even if you give it time. Had to score this on day 3 when the wine was finally showing me something, it's going to be great.
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12/25/2020 - ludwigbpm wrote: 94 Points
Découvert à l’aveugle en Californie après quelques déductions, à Napa où je voyais un Volcanic Hill. Pas très loin stylistiquement avec ce cab américain en finesse et classicisme. À la fois fringuant et concentré, mais beaucoup de retenue. Être à beau potentiel, il commence à peine à s’ouvrir.
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12/24/2020 - Shugs_Claret wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Loads of oak still on the nose and palate. Black and blue berries dominate. Wait another decade.
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12/11/2020 - ralaspech wrote: 94 Points
Similar to previous. Just a lovely perfume from this bottle.
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11/30/2020 - gjv115 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp. It's got a crazy good nose. It's also got a very bright, expressive palate but it's too young. It's going to be a great wine but it's not a Monte Bello yet. Unfortunately, it's going to need a lot of time. But if you can't wait give it an overnight slow ox and you'll enjoy it. 93 for now but it should go up.
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11/26/2020 - Goblin Juice wrote: 93 Points
Bright with refreshing acidity. Massive perfume nose of bright fruit and earth/mineral notes. Nose was the ticket! Palate a bit thinner and subdued fruit than expected but improved over a few hours. Lovely wine.
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11/2/2020 - ralaspech wrote: 95 Points
Coravined one glass. Outstanding aromatic and surprisingly floral nose. Powerful yet elegantly balanced palate of dark cherry, cassis, blueberry, graphite, leather,medium plus acidity and velvety tannins. Lasted 45 seconds. Lisa said it was the best wine she's ever tasted
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10/16/2020 - 1gst3r Likes this wine: 94 Points
dusty nose
some herb
red fruit
prickly tannin
like a dusty red raspberry vine
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10/8/2020 - K-Web24 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted at the winery in Cupertino. Nose of big black fruits, caramelized sugar, cassis, and light pencil shavings. Tastes of bold blackberry and bold black cherries, cassis, and kirsch. Very balanced between the alcohol, tannins, and fruit with a finish that seems to go on forever. A wonderful wine. Monte Bello rarely lets me down and this one did not disappoint.
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10/4/2020 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine: 94 Points
3+ hour decant. Terrific blend. Bold but not jammy. Manageable tannins. Not sure I noticed further development throughout the evening.
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9/27/2020 - brasstab Likes this wine: 94 Points
The Bordeaux flavors and this structure in this wine just never let up. Every time I drink it, it just gets better. Opened it early and let it decant for an hour. Paired it with a Tomahawk ribeye. Deep fruit, bright acidity and an unmistakable graphite core.
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6/28/2020 - dpolzien Likes this wine: 94 Points
Made the happy mistake of pulling this as I had thought I had the '11 in my hands until after I popped the cork. Gave it about 3 hours of air on day 1 and it was good to go, deep dark violet to the rim, still very tight with grippy, drying tannins and a streak of salinity that reminded me of pickle brine (which I love). Fruit was definitely there with plums, blueberries and more vanilla coming out on day 2.
Paired well with strips, but could have done just fine with a big ribeye.
Thoroughly enjoyed its complexity, and this is probably right up there in my WOTY here at the halfway point. Don't hesitate to give it a try if you have a few, will probably wait another 5 years to check in on my next one.
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5/31/2020 - mchern02 wrote: 94 Points
2.5 hour decant
Aromas of plum, cedar, toasted oak, and pencil shavings that precede a sublime palate with great tannins, structure and acidity. Mouth feel has multiple layers that seemed to soften with more glass time and rounds out with a great finish. A great bottle of MB drinking well now but built for the long haul.
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5/28/2020 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opened for 2.5 hours and left in bottle. Rich Plum and Cassis fruit. Hint of vanilla in the background. Velvety tannins. Sensuous mouthfeel. This is a great wine.
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5/23/2020 - bronzoni Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hour prior to drinking; great nose with lots of fruit (plum and blackberry) and some floral notes. Got a ton of black fruit on the palate and a decent amount of oak. Long finish. This wine was great now but feels like it would benefit from more time in bottle. Provenance: purchased directly from Ridge. Stored at 55F from purchase to consumption
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4/26/2020 - sw92130 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great nose upon opening; did not decant, used Coravin on first day for an on-line Ridge tasting. Very good but way too tight; opened up over the next three days, but didn't quite come together as I had hoped.
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4/5/2020 - G_H wrote: 95 Points
Caramel, chocolate, bananas, dark berries, great length and density with a beautiful acidity that provides structure. To my surprise this was fully approachable already
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3/6/2020 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 96 Points
2010 Cabernet Vintage Night (Aretsky's Patroon - NYC): Opened, but not decanted, for over an hour before drinking. Part of a 2010 Cabernet tasting. Easily the WOTN. Elegant, with a long finish. My first bottle of this vintage, after waiting patiently after buying direct from the winery many years ago. A restrained nose, with notes of Cassis, and some spices.
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2/24/2020 - TheWinedown Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drinking beautifully right now, though it lost some oomph after decanting for 2 hours and drinking over the course of 2 more. If I had another, I would probably forgo decanting.
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2/14/2020 - Ericsson wrote: 94 Points
Ouvert 2+ heures avant dégustation.
Magnifique couleur rouge sang tirant même sur le violet, brillante.
Notes puissantes de cassis, autres fruits rouges, menthol.
En bouche, le vin est puissant, viril, sans jamais être lourd, complexe et termine sur des tanins juteux. Belle finale.
94+ et au début de son plateau de maturité.
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12/31/2019 - twoamps Likes this wine: 88 Points
Not my best monte bello. Good dark red color, no tawny at all. Some grainy sediment. Muted and a bit lifeless with almost no finish. Maybe just a tiny bit corked, maybe just an off bottle.
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12/25/2019 - jmoon Likes this wine: 96 Points
Absolutely singing! Firing on all cylinders after a two hour decant. Perfect old world new world balance, not Napa jam and not Bordeaux boots, best of both worlds
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11/6/2019 - magyarsvensk Likes this wine: 95 Points
Campfire, must, leather, citrus and fruit compote. After some air, roasted pork. Viscous. Superlatively complex and powerful.
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9/24/2019 - JohanEGS Likes this wine: 95 Points
The first that hit me on the nose was cherry.... leather and some fresh darn fruit. Then.... Just bloody hard core love! I need to find another bottle and pop it 2037... The Monte Bello 1992 is still my favourite wine of all time.
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9/10/2019 - lewisrise wrote: 95 Points
Nose of raspberry and chocolate. Dark fruits with a vanilla and chocolate finish
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8/18/2019 - brasstab wrote: 94 Points
Love love love. Great with small bites, which included hanger steak with parm cream sauce and Spanish tortilla.
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5/5/2019 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Vinetasters: Ridge Monte Bello (Skokie, IL): Served double blind. A very nice balance of fruit and oak on the nose here. The palate is sweet and youthful, but the complexity seems to be somewhat less here. The fruit comes off a little purple, and there isn’t as much complexity as I would like. My 7th, group's 8th.
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4/21/2019 - JackCMac Likes this wine: 93 Points
medium body cab with good dried fruit and long finish
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3/31/2019 - ralstenm Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful wine! After 60-90 min decant, opening nicely with dark berries, earthy floral notes and mild spices on nose. Silky smooth tannins with classic brambles, berries and rocky notes on palate. Long lovely finish with still lots of structure that bodes well for future bottles. Served with NY strip with Gorgonzola garlic sauce.
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3/31/2019 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine:
DBYOB The revenge of the final Titan (Farsta): Tasted double blind.
So very fine, cabernet nose, good freshness, but ripe berries. Pure cab. Guessed Monte Bello. So good! Highly Recommended.
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3/29/2019 - Bodyfxr wrote: 96 Points
Decanted for approximately one hour. Beautiful deep purple hue. Initially tight on the nose but opened up after some vigorous swirling where it displayed a lovely jammy brambly blend of currents and black cherry. Much of the same on the palate. Medium to full bodied expressing ample fruit, a loamy middle and a lovely long finish with well rounded tannins and a hint of spice. Went great with NY strip with gorganzola. A truly exceptional wine that is in a great place with a lot left in the tank. Should continue going for the next 5 to 10 years. Drink or hold.
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1/12/2019 - yowser wrote: 92 Points
I attended a wine dinner last night and at 4PM decanted this using a gurgler into a decanter with a very broad, flat base. Right out of the bottle the wine had nothing going for it, it was so closed up. It also threw off a surprising amount of sediment for such a young vintage. At 6PM I then returned it to the bottle using a gurgler and went to the dinner. It was a late night, and my bottle didn't get poured until 10PM, which was good, as it needed the extra time. By then it had opened up and was very good, but not outstanding.
I have 11 more bottles, and based on the above experience, I don't plan to open another for at least another 5 years, and I will hopefully increase my rating score at that point.
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12/22/2018 - Ericsson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ouvert 3+ heures avant dégustation.
Rouge sang assez brillant, le nez offre des arômes immédiats sur le cassis, les fruits rouges, la prune et une touche d’herbes de Provence.
En bouche, le vin s’affirme en puissance, il montre de la persistance et a des tanins un rien farineux au début mais qui se polissent avec le temps.
Forcément très jeune, ce MB gagnera en complexité avec le temps mais celui qui le boit aujourd’hui aura beaucoup de plaisir...comme nous!
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10/26/2018 - AlexHop Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very elegant and feminine. Almost surprising it’s most Cabernet Sauvignon (74%). Subtle herbs on the nose. Body emphasizes pencil lead and iron. Not showing much fruit. Long complex finish.
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10/26/2018 - mfrome wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful. Long. Integrated tannins. Plenty of development left. Enjoy or leave. All good.
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5/13/2018 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Second Sunday Group: Ridge Monte Bello 2005-2012 (Jeff's): Double blind. Ripe dark fruit, pepper, spice and pine forest notes. Has a briny quality on the palate, very unique in this lineup. Ripe dark fruit and briny notes. Lingering finish. 88-89 pts.
My #5, Domino's #7
Group #7, 64 pts.
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4/2/2018 - winelegends.net Likes this wine: 95 Points
95+
Sehr dunkles Rot.
Pop and Pour doch schön jugendlich fruchtig.
Extrem schwarzfruchtig,würzig. Oliven,Hauch Kakao,dicht,balsamisch,sehr tief,fleischig ,viel Extrakt,extreme Länge.
Fraglos ein Versprechen in die Zukunft,aber muss wirklich sagen auch jetzt, aus der Kleinflasche, sehr gut zu geniessen.
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4/17/2017 - barolo300 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Everything in place to give it a future.. wish I hadn't opened it this young though...
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4/13/2017 - Kellch wrote: 91 Points
@ Bicicletta in Carmel: still far too young.
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4/13/2017 - gjv115 Likes this wine:
Pnp. Too young, not enough time to breathe. 10+ years needed. Tasty, but not ready.
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3/27/2017 - POBlund Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at 12 vintage vertical by Michel Jamais.
Young nose a bit tightly wound of black currant/cassis, lavender, black cherries.
Full body. Elegant palate of cassis, plum, cedar high fine-grained tannins. Plus finish. 13,2%
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3/23/2017 - TomOfCT Likes this wine: 92 Points
Despite being 7 years old and run through a Vinturi, this bottle was still quite tight. It definitely showed signs of being a gem, but needs a few more years to mature.
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2/10/2017 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was well accessible but quite primary. I would give it a few more years to develop and than this will score higher.
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2/7/2017 - Collector1855 wrote: 98 Points
Tasted during a matter of taste walkabout, so only brief impressions. Again the Ridge Monte Bello is among the very the best California Cabernets, delivering not only ripe fruit but also grace and aromatic length. TN: Right off the bat you know this is something special on your palate. Dark, cool fruit, eucalyptus. Elegant mouth feel, soft tannins and sublime finish. A great CabSav that also spoiled Latour/Lafite/Mouton palates like mine will like.
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12/30/2016 - gjv115 Likes this wine:
Out of a half bottle. Drank over a half day. It was at its best when we opened it. Started out very earthy and Bordeaux like. It became light and cherry Fruity. I liked it but not as much as I normally love Monte Bello. The others didn't like it. I'll sit on mine to see where they go. It's good but disappointing.
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12/29/2016 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a lively expression of the Cabernet grape. If it were a stereo, the volume would be turned up loud. Vibrant nose & flavor profile... this wine is alive right now. However, it is still very primary in its evolution. Therefore, if you like the taste of youthful expressive Cali Cabs, decant and drink now. If you are like me and prefer some more secondary notes, lay it down for at least 5 more years. Based on where this wine is now, I am excited to taste it again down the road.
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11/28/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
On the fresh, bright, crisp, structured side of the style range, the wine is powerful, restrained, firm and you would expect, quite young. Give it another 8-10 years of sleep and lets see what we really have. Ridge Monte Bello has such a great track record for aging, I am sure it will be worth the wait.
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8/23/2016 - tplskylrk wrote:
Decanted 2 hours. Bouchan in Santa Barbara. Pairing w Heirloom summer tomatoes mushroom Diah and giant beautiful pork chop. Amazing.
Beautiful color in the glass. Such a beautiful nose. I could bottle this ...
Entry is light but serious, then the wine explodes, expands, tons ripe sour fruit. Some green some serious cherries, mid palate is a bit confused then a nice tannin sweeps over. Some oak.
Still primary, but what a wine underneath. Serious Yummy factor.
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7/12/2016 - Wink Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious, but not fully ready to drink. Still of bit of oak. Still a bit primary.
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3/25/2016 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still quite young -- some good "chalkiness" -- will hold off a couple of years before trying the next one.
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10/11/2015 - esh44 wrote:
Prominent vanilla oak and very ripe fruit. Rich and sumptuous with big, full tannins. Well made but too big for me personally.
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9/26/2015 - Man in Black wrote:
The wine is clear and bright with a deep ruby colour.
The nose is clean and youthful, showing pronounced intensity aromas of walnuts, clove, cedar, dark plums, dark cherries and black pepper.
The wine is dry in the mouth with a medium+ acidity. It has high fine-grained tannins and a medium well-integrated alcohol. It has a full body and pronounced intensity flavours of walnuts, clove, cedar, dark plums, dark cherries and black pepper. The finish is long.
It is an outstanding quality wine. I thas a lingering finish and very concentrated flavours in an harmonious balance with the tannins. The acidity provides freshness and the moderate alcohol prevents it from being too powerful. It also displays a very elegant complexity provided by oak ageing.
The wine is too young, it has enough tannic and acidic structure to being opening itself in a couple of years, and to develop more complex tertiary aromas in 10+ years. We decanted it to allow it to open a bit and being to display its elegant distinctive aromas.
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7/7/2015 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
We opened a half bottle during dinner at the club, "decanting" it in our glass for an hour or so before we jumped in. Inky crimson color with notes of cassis, kirsch, lavender, violets, dark chocolate, black cherry and plum. An amazing start with a wonderfully complex and enjoyable bouquet. It's a bit of a let down on the palate by comparison though. Tannins are quite firm, as expected, but very fine-grained and even slightly sweet. Flavors of black fruit dominate- blackberry, plum and cassis- along with violet and cherry nuances and vanilla on the finish. It's somewhat thin across the palate at the moment though. I have no doubt this will flesh out as it matures. A classic in the making, but for now, at least in this format, it is much too young and in an awkward phase. I'll look to 2022+ to open the first 750ml.
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3/22/2015 - Lekfranc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Glossy Dark red color, soft texture in the mouth, almost velvetry. Delicate tanins, medium persistence and pronounced reartaste. I did expect more from this wine, since Its 73 vintage won Paris Judgement second edition, but it is very good to drink right now. I left it breathing for one hour before consuption.
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2/22/2015 - Wine Sparty wrote: 97 Points
Decanted for about an hour before having with beef stew, then drank over the following three hours. I know this was too young, but I have enough that I felt like checking on it. It was fantastic and glad I did. It really showed pretty well right out of the gate, as I had a taste right after popping it open. Aroma showed a good level of dark fruits with tar and graphite (pencil shavings). The taste had a bit of a lighter fruit profile than the nose - more of a raspberry than blackberry. Really nice acidity on this throughout the palate as well. It's hard to imagine this may get even better, but I look forward to the rest of my bottles.
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2/13/2015 - Bodes Likes this wine: 91 Points
Such beautiful integration for such a young wine. Should evolve beautifully but I enjoyed it immensely with a decant. From half bottle at Le Pigeon.
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1/13/2015 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 93 Points
Concentrated, deep, and balanced. Impressive and built to last. Painfully young, though, and I'd hold off if possible.
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1/2/2015 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Good depth of cassis fruit ably supported by some cedary oak. There's a whiff of vanilla and a little tobacco. It is relatively full and polished. Tannins are ripe and round.
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10/21/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 96 Points
Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting (City Walk @ Metreon, San Francisco, CA): Deep purple color; classic Cali cab nose with huge perfect black fruit, slight mint, dense; full bodied, exquisitely balanced tannins, velvety texture; long finish. Very young but absolutely superb. For the price, this is a silly value. 96-98
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9/20/2014 - AWBryce Likes this wine: 93 Points
This will be a classic wine in time. The purity of the fruit on the nose is amazing. Good oak treatment, the palate has good acidity, and grippy tannins.
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8/2/2014 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 95 Points
tannins soft and present, elegant CS, cassis, dark berries, chocolate, silky more Bx with ripe fruits, I love it, a baby murder, 20 more years
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7/11/2014 - lozatron wrote:
Very very good, very very young. Will be thrilling when it has a few more years on it...
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7/1/2014 - MattMauldin Likes this wine:
Ridge Monte Bello tasting room June 29, 2014: Black ruby color. Showing aromas of mineral, crushed stone, dried lavender, anise, cedar, leather and tobacco. Fruit, floral and mineral-driven on the palate with layered notes of currant, lavender, earth and savory depth. Complex. Finely polished but sharp tannins. Loads of complexity on the finish. Epic at a quick glance.
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5/27/2014 - kthornton78 wrote:
amazing nose of blackberry, spice, and roasted herbs. the palate shows firm acidity and gripping tannins framing black fruits and savory herb notes. this is a baby - unbridled and intense. looking forward to seeing it evolve. wouldn't touch the next bottle until 2019.
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5/24/2014 - kosinski wrote:
Aroma: smoky and spicy with notes of pencil shavings, sandalwood and rose petals.
Palate: rather tannic and closed at this stage with suggestions of cherry fruit, graphite, blackberry and green pepper. A little hard to read because of its backwardness.
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5/24/2014 - yossarian.livez wrote: 94 Points
Great MB. Nose a bit tightly wound of cassis and tobacco. Palate of cassis, plum, cedar, milk chocolate, tobacco box, pencil lead, with a bit of smoke. Medium acid. Full body. Plus finish. Bigger than normal but balanced showing more nuance than most cabs without being scatter-shot either. Also bit darker than normal. Medium acid, full body, plus finish. Tannin is there and relatively firm but polished enough and showing enough stuffing now that it can be drunk with a decant for those liking intensely structured wine. Personally, it's a long hold. 94+
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5/13/2014 - Rowchan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Clear, dark crimson, pink rim, slow thick tears
Clean, med intensity, aromas of red cherries, black currants, medicinal, slight smoke. You can smell the terroir!
Dry, med- body, med- acidity, med tannins, a bit watery for Ridge standards, med- alcohol, further tastes of dark cherries, ash, cooked plums. Med+ finish
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5/7/2014 - thelostverse wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at the winery. Second time I've had this in the last 6 months or so. Inky dark purple color, with beautiful fragrant nose and palate of spice, with nutmeg and cinnamon. Beautiful.
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5/7/2014 - AllRed wrote: 95 Points
A Tasting at Ridge (Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs Estate): Inky red color with aromas of violets, caramel, black fruit- cassis, and vanilla. Full-bodied but so elegant and refined. Cassis, blue fruit, caramel, vanilla, spice and lavender. Lingering finish. So well-balanced; wonderful. 95-96 pts.
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4/16/2014 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 95 Points
At the winery. Double decanted 2h ahead. Tasted after the 2011 Estate Cab. A lot more going on here, very complex nose of cassis, blueberries, tobacco, and plums. A lot more concentration here, surprisingly soft, ripe tannins. Extremely well balanced with finesse and elegance. Great length. Save at least another 10 years and try again.
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3/11/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 97 Points
Tasted at Ridge Geyserville. Dark purple color. Breath-taking nose of dark berries (black currant/cassis, black cherries), smoke, minerality, coffee, flowers, etc. On the palate there are also notes of dark chocolate emerging as well as plenty of dark fruits and some menthol and some sweet spices. Full-bodied and very dense with medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin that is incredibly silky. There is a fantastic sense of balance here. Despite the power and density it never feels heavy or forced. Amazing length. A fantastic Montebello with the stuffing to age for a very long time. It's made from 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc and was the last wine at our amazing tasting @ Ridge.
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2/21/2014 - blanquito wrote: 92 Points
Classic MB. Very aromatic with notes of smoke, wood, ash. Spicy fruit that has dark chocolate and a piney note, wide open texturally. Fresh, juicy mid palate. The finish is still loaded with tannins. Not dissimilar than a recent 375 of the 1992 MB. Delicious.
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1/24/2014 - itsallaboutwine Likes this wine:
About 200 cases? Nice complex nose already showing some evolution, sensuous palate with well integrated oak and again showing more evolution than expected, already drinking very well. reminiscence of top Bordeaux, very long finish. Great but not sure it will "continue to develop over the next 30 years." +++(+)
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1/13/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
It is a good Monte Bello. Full, powerful, with a long life ahead.
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1/5/2014 - cybergod Likes this wine:
Outstanding. So much depth and poise. Already and atypically very enjoyable, this will be really great after several years in the cellar.
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12/25/2013 - fcxj wrote: 88 Points
Just ok
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12/20/2013 - jjou Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted at winery. Floral. Complex with berries, spices, pencil, great finish. Very young.
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12/16/2013 - AlexHop wrote: 95 Points
Nose is toast and a touch of smoke. Beautiful sweet oak aromas. A touch of butterscotch? Flavors are elegant with big backbone. Finish turns a touch sweet (not in a bad way). A little belle pepper, pain grille, restrained. Tasted at the winery from a 375ml.
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11/30/2013 - coremill wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at the winery. A more midweight, elegant version of Monte Bello. The last MB I tasted young was the 07; this has far less power and concentration, with a more slender frame. But there's still enough sap in the midpalate and a lovely finish. Needs time to integrate the oak but the material is there. A very good wine but I'm not sure it will have the oomph to last 30 years like MB usually does, but given the track record, who would bet against it?
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11/29/2013 - Carsten Madsen wrote: 96 Points
VERY good, and the cold stile is perfect
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11/2/2013 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
About one third of the bottle remained from the previous night. Day two features aromas of violets, lavender and a nice mix of red and black fruits. The tannins have softened and one finds flavors of red and black fruit, vanilla and graphite. Good length on the finish. 94-95 pts.
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11/2/2013 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Opened by Allred and tried on day 2. 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Notes of chocolate, carmel and currants. Good concentration. Drinking surprisingly well now but not as good as the 1990, 1995 or 2002 that I've had all with 10+ years of age on them. Give this time. 93 points.
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11/1/2013 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Ridge Vineyards Virtual Winemaker Tasting of the Fall Releases (Our house): This, as all the other wines in tonight's lineup, as instructed by the winery, was double decanted 90 minutes prior to the tasting. We were very surprised by how accessible and open this was. Inky crimson color featuring aromas of vanilla, black currants, green tobacco and violets. Tannins are firm, but very fine and certainly not obtrusive. Flavors of vanilla, black currants, black cherry and florals and progress towards red fruit as the night wore on. Ends with nice balance and length. 94+ pts.
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11/1/2013 - thelostverse wrote: 94 Points
Ridge tasting at Allred's. This was surprisingly approachable after a 2-3 hour decant. This had beautiful floral notes with graphite, blackberry and tobacco (cigar). Nice acidity with already integrated tannins. 94+.
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10/15/2013 - ecola Likes this wine: 94 Points
Inky dark color. Aromas of pure red cherry and dark blackberry. Similar flavors with subtle toast added in. Medium to full body. Silky mouthfeel until you get to the finish. Tight and gripping tannins. Needs some more bottle time but showing amazing potential.
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10/3/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
At Gary's Grand tasting. Part of a flight of Ridge - one of the more consistent, unique wines from Calif (in my opinion). By Ridge standards this is obviously a baby. 74% Cab, classic Bordeaux-blend, nose reflects this - red/black fruits, pencil/lead, earth. palate had all the signature MB notes of currants, dark cherry, blackberry, charred oak.
Full bodied, big but elegant finish. Would let this have another 5 years before touching it. May be closing down
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10/2/2013 - onewineheaven wrote: 94 Points
No surprise but the right food makes a huge difference. With a ripe camembert this wine sang. All base 10 of course but it promises much more.
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9/23/2013 - kstoddard Likes this wine: 92 Points
74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Dark ruby color. Intoxicating nose of red and black fruits. Tastes of blackberry, leather, earth, and cherry with some currant notes. Full bodied. Chewy tannins. Well balanced with refreshing acidity. Elegant finish that seems to be quite closed down at the moment. Hold.
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9/15/2013 - MRichman wrote:
Tasting at Ridge Lytton (Ridge Lytton Springs): Stiff, young, tight with dark tannic high toned acid. Charred french oak. Needs a lot of age. Excellent potential.
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7/26/2013 - missionpk Likes this wine: 93 Points
(from 375ml) Fun to taste a lighter vintage, as I've only tried the much bigger 2007 young. After about 90-120 minutes, this is remarkably good. It definitely shows as a wine that is going to get better and better over time, but it is already capable of carrying/elevating a meal. Strong tannins and good structure, while still coming across as light and elegant.
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6/21/2013 - Shiaxonna wrote: 91 Points
At a tasting with Paul Draper in Bergen, Norway.
This wine starts out with some similar aromas to the Geyserville we just tasted, but more creamy and with more finesse. A bit more oak. On the palate there is raw fruit, and yet a perfect symbiosis between the fruity kick and he balanced finesse of the wine. A piece of art...
50+5+11+17+8 (91p)
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6/2/2013 - onewineheaven wrote: 92 Points
Chewy.
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4/30/2013 - Colima74 wrote: 93 Points
From 375. Needed just a bit of time to open. Young, showing some vanillin, but actually not enough to put me off. Raspberry and blackberry fruit. Incredibly structured and complex for being so young. Delicious.
74% CS, 20% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cab Franc. EB's notes suggest this will drink well over the next 30 years.
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4/13/2013 - fredb Likes this wine:
From 375 mL. Purple-red color with near opacity. Full aromas of cherry, currant, vanilla, and plum. This is a very enjoyable young cabernet-based wine with full fruit flavors but is not yet Monte Bello. Flavors range from cherry to currant on the fruit spectrum with medium-grained tannins dominating the mid-palate and carrying into a spicy, vanilla and currant infused long finish. Seems like another solid Monte Bello, but will need to be left to develop in the bottle until sometime in the 2020s by my estimation. Hold.
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3/25/2013 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Cherries, red as well as black forest fruits, sweet spices, a lot of sweetness but all in beautiful harmony. A beautiful and refined wine. So young already a pleasure. Around 2020 this will be a beauty. And probably still between 2025 and 2030+. (Tasted the 1995 beside it which was great and still had enough power for more years of ageing…) 92++
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3/21/2013 - viejo322 wrote: 91 Points
Final Assemblage tasted at the winery. Level of complexity and refined elegance is what keeps me coming back for more. Earthy nose with currant, blackberry, bramble, herbs and damask rose petal. Tannins are young, of course, but refined. Long finish, silky mouthfeel and amazing balance. I think the cellar notes are unique to Montebello in California wines and are attributable to natural flora used to inoculate the fermentation.
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3/17/2013 - mwritter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not as good as the eleven, but still a great wine!
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3/9/2013 - yossarian.livez wrote:
Vanilla, red fruit nose. Palate of cherry, earth, cinnamon, vanilla and coffee and with just a hint of floral menthol from the Verdot. Good mouth feel and plenty of length. Tannins are a bit youthful, but not too grippy and suprisingly approachable, but as with all MB's easily go 10-15 years. Delightful. 94+
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3/9/2013 - kosinski wrote:
Cherry cola, vanilla aroma. Complex flavors including vanilla, graphite, loam, muted black cherries, and a touch of green tannin. Probably fairly closed right now. Needs quite a few more years to mellow and mature the tannin. Tannins are not overly assertive, however. Moderate acidity and excellent length.
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2/10/2012 - yhn wrote: 96 Points
Nose - Wow! Onderful heady perfum and spice, meaty, smoky violet, soft purple fruit.
Lovely plum and black currant, dine dusty tannin, boysenberry, violet. Drink '20-'50+
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4/3/2011 - winegr wrote:
Excellent wine. Primary at this point. Still some good stuff in a tough vintage. Tough to discern too much nuance at this point. Almost as good as the 09, but I like the elegance of the 2008 a ton.
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3/26/2011 - Khamen wrote: 92 Points
A proper purple-bodied cask sample this one. Clearly tight and tannic but the purity of the fruit already stands out. Rather ethereal notes of garden mint get a little lost in the roar of the young fruit, but should develop. Tannins a little chunky. Promising, particularly noting how tough this vintage was for Ridge. 92+
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3/23/2011 - Biggsy wrote: 93 Points
The first assemblage of the 2010 Monte Bello. At the moment it is a very dense, dark purple colour with a vibrant floral nose; aromas of violet, stewed rhubarb, cassis and bay leaves. Although nearly as young as a wine can be, it has a great balance of sweet fruit and solid, but very ripe tannins. There is a touch of sharpness to the fruit at the moment but Eric Baugher believes this will be one of the greatest vintages of Monte Bello ever. A lovely treat to try this.
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3/23/2011 - dustbuddy wrote: 89 Points
Tasted as part of a Sampler tasting. Almost unfair to score this wine as it is still very young and tasted like a sample. That said, it is drinking well now. On the nose a blackcurrant/herbal garrigue note which is satisfying and powerful. On the palate very fresh fruit (as you would expect) with very fine tannins which already seemed to be fullyi intergrated. Also nice acidity and rhubarb. Not really sure how this wine will develop - I was assured this was a wine for the long term but remain unconvinced for the moment.
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3/22/2011 - pjaines wrote:
Ridge Montebello Tasting & subsequent drinks; 3/22/2011-3/24/2011 (Berry Brothers, London): Barrel sample. Dark, almost black. Raisin and caramel, smokey and compact palate - very chewy right now with teeth gripping tannins. Tough to love right now, but then this is at least 10 years from being ready.
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