During New Year's Eve, the following wines were drunk, for starters Red beet carpaccio;
2019 Bizkaiko Txakolina XX Edition Limited. 100% Hondarrabi Zuri 2021 Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 100% Pinot Noir
For main course, whole Entrecôte (on low heat 150 °C), hazelnut potatoes and pepper sauce;
Chateau Pontet Canet 2015 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot.
For starters, it was very interesting to put a white and a red wine against each other. Everyone around the table thought both worked very well. 2019 Bizkaiko Txakolina showed straw yellow color, orange, herbs, a slightly buttery salty note, complex with good length. Although I myself thought the Kutch PN was fantastic with the food, sublime fruit, well balanced and a nice finish.
With the main course both wines were fantastic, what wines. Pontet Canet 2015 is, of course, young, and despite 4 hours in the carafe, the wine felt a little restrained to begin with. But after another 1 hour, this wine grew and grew, cassis and minerality that only good Bordeaux can exhibit. The Ridge Cabernet was just as good, and had an additional dimension of forest floor, leather, tobacco and blackcurrant, but also plum, but also red cherry. Classic Santa Cruz Mountain fruit, despite its 16 years, the wine exhibits a fantastic acidity. Glad I have a bottle left of the 2007.
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Popped and served; this for me was very good, but if anything still well short of fully mature. The nose was all black and blue fruits with just a hint of oak spice remaining; minimal herbal hints, but just a bit of fresh soil developing. Very well balanced and quite good with steak. Easily will drink well for another decade and likely more.
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Popped and poured but should have decanted for sediment. Medium crimson color. Intriguing nose of black plum, cassis, spicy bloody mary, and a bit of oak coming through. Definitely has some vegetal notes to go along with the fruit which I found quite enjoyable. Similar flavors on the palate with a mixture of both ripe and tart dark berry fruits mixed with some tomato leaf, pyrazine and spicy oak. Medium+ acid, medium tannin and body. This wine is in a very nice spot and enjoyable with food or on its own.
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Dark and dense red color. Bramble fruit, Madagascar vanilla and mocha on the nose. Very inviting. Outstanding balance with lots of blackberries, dark raspberries, some almond and dried herbs on the back end. This has developed great and is drinking exceptionally now. Very long finish. One of the best Ridge SCM estate I have had. 92/93
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PnP. It started with a super highly acidity, the body is medium to med+. After about 30 min it gained comolexity and balanced. It goes well with meat and /or cheese. Very good finish.
No surprise there is no need to rush with this wine. Drink or hold for the next 5-10 years…
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Full disclosure : I may be biased. This was the specific glass that turned me on to wine in 2011 at Restaurant Daniel, so having it again 11 years later is quite special. Ridge was kind enough to send me 3 from the library, 1 I shared with friends as part of a vertical that included a 14, 16, 17, 18 estate cab and 3 of 4 picked this to be the winner. My last bottle will sit for another 5 years.
Beautiful color to it, very slight brickish rim but still a deeply opaque red through the rest. Very slight funk on the nose but quickly overpowered by the powerful fruit with a slight vanilla overtone. It drinks beautifully: ribbony, silky smooth fruit and tannins balanced like a high-wire pro. I hope this has many more years on it, I want to find more bottles!
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Very dark red color. PNP, drank several glasses over 3 hours. Holy Shmoly was this good. I've had this a number of times over the years and it's always good, but man this was special. Gorgeous perfumed nose with incense, menthol, well delineated fruits of cassis, blackberry, blueberry; graphite, amazing damp forest floor, leather and mushroom. This just goes on and on. I could sit and small this one all night. The palate leaves nothing behind either following suit beautifully, silky texture, graphite galore, that same gorgeous fruit adding creme de cassis notes, succulent and earthy. Nicely structured with velvety tannins that still hold you and a lingering finish. This has a lot of life left, easily 5 -7 years or more. Always a treat to go out on a high note, but I wish I had a small stash to see how long this goes.
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At Osteria via Stato with Dan H. A very flattering wine. Potentially it’s best yet. Suave and unassuming blackberry fruit. Some underlying mineral tones, but nothing at all green. I wish I had more time to wax on this, but it was just so damn chuggable from the cork pull, that, well…she gone.
Extend the drinking window. Was 2010-2025, now 2010-2035.
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Juicy and wonderfully fresh on the nose with black fruit, ripe black cherry and blackberry. Also juice saturated pie pastry, which I find a Ridge hallmark. Also woodsmoke. Also a light seasoning of cedar. Good grip on the palette. Light, delicate chocolate on the palette. Great stuff
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90 minute slow oxidation when the wine was first tasted. Drank five hours later. A light purple core fading to a medium ruby outer edge. The nose opens up with American oak, blackcurrants, mulberry, boysenberry, black cherry, wood smoke, violets, grilled peppers, and damp autumn leaves. Five hours later and the American oak has disappeared entirely leaving a rich, highly concentrated, and inviting nose where dark fruits and damp herbs shine. The palate is rich and dense with ripe black fruits and a touch of liquorice. There’s a restraint and elegance that I’ve found in all of the Ridge wines I’ve tasted, which speaks volumes for this producer and their ability to balance power and subtlety.
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Had it as part of a ridge estate cab vertical inc. 14, 16, 17, 18. The '07 shined through like a diamond! Beautifully balanced, smooth, & silky. Went down too easy, glad I have one more in the cellar as this has many more years left, I reckon!
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Perfect storage at the Wine Society. Quite young. Lots of fruit, nice coconut and oak, great with steak but I would decant a bit longer or give it a few more years.
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Bedre enn forrige flaske. Veldig mørk farge. Mørk frukt med et snev av solbær. Noe eik. God lengde. Etter en uke i kjøleskap er vinen blitt bedre med mer solbærsmak.
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Quick decant to remove the sediment and then followed over three hours. It was ready to go as soon as I opened it. The fruit was unapologetic and bold, but it maintained a refinement that Ridge does so well. Still primary and vigorous, but I am left to wonder if the fruit will ever truly integrate with the oak and acidity. Oh well, it’s my last bottle from an enjoyable case, so I may never know. I’d buy this again in a heartbeat. It was a helluva value.
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Deep dark center, red rim with some signs of age. Intense blackcurrant, smokey, bright cherries. Great cassis fruit, oaky ash, sappy, touch of iodine, good mouthfeel, some acidity and tannin remaining, fantastically long finish of blackcurrants and green pepper (with a little bandaid). Best bottle of the three, insanely good Bordeaux-like wine. Will last for another 5-10 years.
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Should have decanted, opened up beautifully after 30-45 minutes. Plenty of fruit (plum, cherry) splendid colour. Ready to drink, don’t see any upside but can’t see it fading yet.
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Coravin’d and set on the counter for an hour. Initial nose of olive and desert brush (not forest floor by any means, this is too dry for that descriptor). I get dried red fruit, tobacco and some leather.
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Enten litt for gammel, eller luftet for kort tid. Har opplevd amerikansk cab som har blitt kvitt det med lang lufting. Har et preg av tørket frukt som jeg ikke liker. På flaska står det lagringspotensiale 8-10 år. Tappet på flaske i 2009.
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Deep dark red center, red/pink rim with some signs of age. Sweet briar, rolling tobacco, a little exotic, black cherries, herb de Provence, green pepper. Smooth, classic Bordeaux, modest acid and tannin, pyrazines, great taste of dark red fruit and herbs, excellent length. Great Ridge Cab, very old world Bordeaux, drinking very well now (but still has a few years left).
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Very dark red color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 2.5hrs. 58% Cab/42% Merlot. Striking immediately, this feels like it has everything put together. Very lovely nose with fruit, cassis at the forefront, boysenberry, and then as this gets just a little air the an earthy essence unfolds, layered by olive tapenade and underbrush. The palate is ful; bodied, silky texture, cassis, boysenberry, earth, underbrush, dried wood and fine tannins on a long finish. Harmonious and in full swing now, with good integration but certainly no rush.
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Decanted. Initially very rich plummy fruit backed by nice acids. However, there was a funky aroma that dominated the nose. With air, the fruit recedes and the structure comes out more. Now 3h after decant, aromas of cassis, blackberries, hints of leather, tobacco and herbs. Cassis, blackberries and even some pomegranate on the palate with hints of leather and tobacco. There's a hollowness with dilution on the midpalate with still prominent tannins on the back end. A nice wine but was expecting more complexity and depth.
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Dark as night. Pretty ripe black fruit nose, cherry, plum and berry. A bit of earthiness. Rich but dry black fruit flavour and a long dry fuzzy finish.
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Nose of sour blackberries and clay. Really nicely balanced on the palate, with medium tannins and sour cherries crossed with morel mushrooms. Drink drink drink; this is so good right now.
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Deep red, inky colour. Green pepper and tar on nose. Black pepper, green pepper and a bit of tobacco. Fine tannins. Medium length finish. Took about an hour or so to really open but enjoyable.
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- Garnet color with slow forming legs and aromas of dusty. It's in total harmony and has flavours of dusty, cloves and oak with a full body. Leathery texture with a long finish.
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Great balance and a great blend. This wine has integrated very nicely and is well composed front to back. Clean, bright fruit that still has lively twists and turns of nose and flavor.
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Overripe, acidified, unpleasant. May be interesting when bottled. But aging makes the difference. But this is nothing to pay 50 dollars for. How sad. This may be one of the de errors the big pre taster is responsible for.
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Very dark, dark ruby color, baked raspberry nose; silky textured, tart baked raspberry. Absolutely as good a CA bordeaux blend I have had. Sadly, my last bottle. I would pay a LOT more than the $20/btl I paid in 2010 at a LWS which is sadly out of buisiness.
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Very dark red, almost black and opaque, opens with black fruits (cherries, blackberries and plums), and after 45 minutes in the glass - you get cedar, wet earth, some licorice and pepper. Almost heavy body, great palate - lots of everything: fruits, alcohol, acidity, tasty tannin, and all of these are very nicely integrated together. Medium finish, at least 25 seconds or more. Excellent wine from the excellent and super reliable winery. I believe it may improve in a year or two, but it is already in excellent drinking window. Cheers!
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Gorgeous rich bottle of cab. The vegetal side is gone, the fruit is deep, dark, and round. Lots of sediment. No rush to drink but there's nothing wrong with drinking it now.
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Masters Saturday and a great showing. Pop and pour with cherry, plums, dust, minerals and earth. Medium plus finish and really balanced effort. Nice acidity and a good stand alone wine to drink. Drink now to 2020.
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This took two hours to open and then seemed primary. Beautiful nose of Mtn fruit and stones. Still young, no secondary flavors. Nice purple grip in the finish.
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Deep ruby with medium plus optical density, with slow-forming tears that leave some light stains. Medium intensity and complexity nose, with stewed prunes, currant, chocolate, saw dust, bramble, and leather. On the palate, it is dry and full bodied with medium acidity and mellow tannins. Mouth-feel is supple, with good concentration and density, but not syrupy or overpowering. The attack shows a good complexity of flavours, with dark berries and prunes, underlying leather/earth, and vegetal notes that really start to pick up at mid-palate. Toward the finish, the leather and earth is felt, with a medium plus finish length leaving tobacco, stewed fruits, and leather lingering. Very much old-world in style, with good balance and variety of fruit/vegetal/earth flavours.
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Still a fantastic wine and an outstanding value from Ridge. The tannins have completely dissolved and it is starting to show its secondary nuances. This is not a flashy, flamboyant modern styled wine, just simply an impeccably well made, classic cabernet that drinks like an older Bordeaux, although evolving faster than its french counterpart. Still has some years ahead of it, but if you prefer your cabs young, I would suggesting consuming this sooner rather than later.
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A terrific bottle of old-school California cab that shows that not all Cali cab has to be super-ripe, dense and over-the-top. There's plenty of ripe fruit but also an acid profile that makes this wine lean on the tart side, in a good way. Factor in the price and this has got to be one of the best value plays in California cab in its price range. Need to buy more vintages of this. 91+
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Deep dark red color. Dark ripe fruit on the nose with mostly blackberries and blueberries combined with sweet vanilla. Very inviting and youthful fruit on the palate with smooth tannins. Elegant mountain cabernet with tremendous complexity and great acidity. This is now as good as I have tasted this wine ever. Since the last time, it has surprisingly much fresh dark fruit left, and the tannins are smoother and overall complexity greater. Will cellar my remaining bottle for several more years, but this wine is absolutely showing well at this stage. 92+
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Decanted for sediment (necessary). Tasted at 2 hrs. Young looking. Black to deep purple edge. Cassis, cherry and a hint of menthol. Some complexity, Loveley blend of Cab and Merlot. Reaching end of primary and beginning secondary. Medium to long, lingering finish. This got better and better with more time open. Best at 4 hours when we finished. Good balance, acid, fruit and tannin. I would keep up to another 5 years.
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This is obviously better than previously tasting a year+ ago. Tannins are resolving and this is drinking well straight from the bottle. Medium bodied. Bordeaux style with a tart quality and a stoney finish. Lots of minerals and comes across like a low alcohol wine.
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ChTR kokous 18.3.2015 (SKO-toimisto): Decanted. This was a rather dark purplish wine with some browning becoming evident. The nose was a blast of cassis, tons of black fruit, and quite a bit of toasty vanilla, very California, but very enticing. The palate had lots of tannins and lots of cassis, full-bodied, big, bold and delicious. An excellent wine in its genre, I enjoyed it!
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Great blend of red and black fruits; palate is medium to full bodied, integrated tannins, nice texture; medium finish. Very nice and balanced overall, but there are better vintages of this bottling (the 2010 and 2012 come to mind). 89-90
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Solid wine. Give it at least 30 minutes in the decanter before digging in. Had some tight tannins at first, but they mellowed out with some air and some time.
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Best bottle I've had of this yet, not so acid forward and rustic as I recall this bottling. Concentration, fruit flesh and full black fruit on the palate. After 2 hours open, lots of fruit for a Ridge Cab. I guess 07 is finally speaking. Check back tomorrow. Sediment. Day 2. More complexity than day 1. Licorice, med/+ acid, tobacco, still black fruit, but not as concentrated or singular as yesterday.
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Very dark red-purple color. PNP with aeration from bottle. Drank 2 glasses over 3 hours and revisited 48 hours later. This bottle was a bit of an enigma starting off rather tight and unrewarding. Subtle earth, oak, and murky black fruits on the nose with a fairly deep, full bodied palate with sour black fruits, oak, and firm tannic grip. This improved significantly over 2 hours, but still was a bit underwhelming compared with previous bottles. I would have rated it at 89 to 90 at its peak that evening. I didn't get a chance to revisit it until a good 48 hours later. The overall integration and resolution was noticeable. The nose had become more aromatic, showing damp earth, cassis, cedar, blackberry. The palate was much softer and felt medium full bodied now with creme de cassis, plum, graphite, hints of creme de menthe, and pleasant wood notes. Very good now, 91+ but still not up to previous bottles. Probably a hold at this point.
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I had this wine about two years ago and since then the merlot has really come out. The wine is much more approachable after an hour of air. Disappointed there wasn't more complexity to the wine. Started off tight and tarty, then opened with the merlot to a soft jammy wine. Smelled and appeared like a baby Montebello, but wasn't to be. 90/91
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Very dark red/purple color. Initial PNP followed by a decant over 2 hours. This was an interesting experience tonight. It does not really seem like this has progressed any since I last had it a year and a half ago. Out of the bottle it was harsh and tannic with somewhat abrasive oak/spice - the nose was decent. Clearly needed to be decanted so I obliged. Sitting in the glass this at times it has a quite engaging nose as in the past, fresh and vibrant with lovely cassis, and dark berries, mulberry, graphite, damp earthiness, tobacco and spices. At other points it seems more reticent. The palate becomes more like what I expected, nicely textured, medium plus body, some tartness, cassis, mulberry, tobacco, graphite, chocolate, and spice. The tannins are quite firm and food is a benefit. Maybe this is in an awkward phase right now, as even with the decant, this had some Jekyll and Hyde moments. I highly recommend decanting for at least an hour, but while this certainly is approachable, I'd give this another couple years ideally.
bttl decant 30 min.veri rich deep nose of fruits.some toast(oak) too.soft structure.a veri open wine revealing everything it got effortlessly.it has veri rich fruits.slightly active tannins.nice complexity.I wud luv this bttl more restraint so I cud njoy more glass.
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Italian / Pseudo-Italian / Free-style Wine Night (Extra Space): Tasted blind. Opened and aired in bottle for about an hour before drinking. Dark blackish colour. Expressive nose with sweet vanilla oak that really reminded me of an Italian SuperTuscan wine. Smooth entry with lots of plush dark fruit and cassis on the palate. Creamy mouth-feel and big chewy tannins, but under control. Long finish. No doubt a food wine, but I like this! I guessed 5-10 year old SuperTuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, without any Sangiovese. Not often that I get to taste an American wine. Interesting! I feel this could be better in another 4-5 years. 13.3% alcohol.
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This wine has softened since last years bottle, the Merlot has come forward, it continues to have the aromas and structure to make this an exceptional bottle of wine at this price. Excellent QPR. Can’t wait to try the ‘09’s and ‘10s I have.
Update: possibly a high sulfite content...got headache.
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lovely bottle of wine in a very good place. complex nose that shows the classic black/briary SCM fruit with notes of cedar and sweet tobacco. the palate shows blackberry, cassis, and herbs with nice lift and tension that keeps the wine from feeling at all heavy.
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Superb nose that reminded me of an acidic Super tuscan - cranberry, cassis, metalic. Smooth and creamy profile with slight hole in mid-palate. Interesting spice - hint of clove. Long finish but just a little asringent and sharp.
Especially with this vintage, it's not a stretch to describe it as a baby Monte Bello. This wine tastes so refined even in its youth. Bordeaux-like notes of wet earth, dried leaves give balance to the dried berry fruits. There is a savory component of red peppers on a grill, along with slowly smoked tri tip. One taster commented that it smelled and tasted like autumn. One professional reviewer questioned its longevity and I disagree. Ridge wines always over-achieve and out-perform expectations with regards to ageability. But that being said, it's delicious now. This is easily one of the best <$40 cabernet-based wines I've ever had. Wine at this price point is rarely this elegant. Draper is god.
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Associates Wine Dinner (Our House): This was a powerful spicy wine - in fact amazingly spicy for a cab/merlot. I was looking for the Zin in the blend. It will be interesting to see this in 3 or 4 years - possible potential as this has the power to lie down. It may make it to 90 in the future. My score now is 87 but that is probably unfair - so I have split the difference
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Disjointed on day 1 - been stored above ideal temp for the last few weeks - chocolate, bitterness on the finish. Day 2, after stored in fridge, different wine. Wonderful as a few months ago: intoxicating black and red fruit nose, hints of leather, blackcurrant, liquorice. Cigar box and the same on the palate. Maybe some violet too. Fresh but full, and finishes long. Still might pick as French. 92+
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Well balanced, smooth. Hoping for a bit more oomph .... depth. Overall, very nice berries and cassis. Medium bodied, medium length of finish, medium tannins. Decent acidity.
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Maybe this wine is in a weird place, but I found it to be completely dominated by the merlot. It was very plummy with maybe a little bit of blackberry and vanilla. If I'd tasted this blind, I never would have pegged it as a blend, and especially not one from Ridge. They're one of my favorite producers, but this seemed very "new world" in the sense of very ripe and prominently oaked. After about 5 hours of air, I started getting some notes of red currants and a little cedar, but they were easily overwhelmed by the plum.
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Planning to heed the advice herein, I emptied it into the mid-sized decanter and returned it to the cellar for 2hrs. Of course, I had an initial taste before and the aromatics were amazing with elevated herbal and licorice tones; though the flavors were tight and slightly sharp. At the two hour mark, with slightly withdrawn aromatics, the flavors were all Right Bank Bordeaux with prominent toasted cedar and melted licorice. This is a serious wine, which is fittingly referred to as "Baby Bello". And, at 25-30% of the price ...with solid mid-term aging potential, this is a must try recommendation.
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2+ hours air. Lovely wine. Wonderful freshness. Creamy - but the oak is not overdone - and haunting blackcurrant, hints of cigar box and violet on the nose. Plenty of fleshy plum from the merlot on the palate. Respectfully disagree with others - I think this could pass for a modern style bordeaux in a classic vintage. Love the balance. Very classy indeed.
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Lean and vegetal when it first hits the glass, rounding out over time and providing some nice berry notes intermixed with graphite and toasty oak in the background. Over dinner it becomes elegant, and drinks more Left Bank Bordeaux than Californian.
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Paired with 2007 Monte Bello Cab blend as second wine course with the main dinner course. This wine was opened 45 minutes before pouring - should have opened sooner. Good color and aroma, lively. Medium weight, tannins resolved, nice balance. Threw a bit of sediment. So a nice wine and everyone was happy with this wine. It is likely at its maturity, with some life left. However it paled against the Monte Bello.
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Mulberry color; aromatic nose of blackberries, black currants, black plums, cedar, vanilla, chocolate, baking spices, licorice, and black pepper; develops hints of pipe tobacco and graphite; classic in style with finesse, depth, structure, sleek tannins, a fine texture, and excellent integration; rich in black plum, blackberry, black and red currant, and cherry flavors; good length on the finish. Restrained, elegant, and harmonious.
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Quite good cabernet. Since this is a blend with merlot, I kind of expected some more classical bordeaux-characteristics, but they were not prominent in this wine. This was something else. And enjoyable!
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Beautiful wine to see and smell, very alluring. Dark fruit flavors are framed by dry, sturdy, chewy, firm tannins and balanced acidity. The oak influence is thankfully kept in check. Wonderful structure and texture to this wine. A long life ahead of it. I can't think of a better cab/merlot blend at this price. Monte Bello is a moot point.
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*Decanted for 2-3 hours* Beautiful nose with lots of blackberries, blackcurrant, blueberries and hint of milk chocolate and vanilla. Also some notes of warm gravel on the end of the nose as it gets more air. A big and rich wine on the palate, yet very fresh and delicate. Lots of blueberries that is paired nicely with blackcurrant and dried herbs. Oak and alcohol integration is marvelous. This is silky smooth, but with enough structure and tannins to last for a long time. Serious long finish. This is getting better and better for each year I taste it. 92+
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Couleur rubis foncé. Nez sur la tarte aux petits fruits, épices, un peu de terre noire et de fumée. En bouche, le vin offre une belle matière, équilibré, belle acidité, bien sec (pas d'impression de sucre ou de caramel), affiche une certaine fraicheur, mais semble encore compact et jeune. Des saveurs de fruit (fraises cuites, mûres, bleuets), d'épices (anis, cannelle), de menthe, un peu de cuir et un boisé luxueux qui n'écrase pas le fruit en font un vin ayant un profil bordelais rive-droite, à mon palais du moins. Excellent, possiblement pour un bon moment (garde de 10 à 15 ans ?).
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At Matt and Jess's place with the 'Rents, and Diane per lasagne. Drinking great. Medium plus body, medium plus acid. Black fruit and tobacco. Medium fine grained tannin. On Day 2, back label talks of press wine addition and there is quite an edge that indicates that on the mid palate. Not plush and polished. A touch of kernel as well.
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Nose dark berries, a little funk and cedar, taste cassis, tart berries, leather a little soy, earth mouth watering acidiy and firm tannins. So delicious and complex. Drink now with a long decant or wait a few more years if you can. Wow
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If poured blind, I would have sworn this was French. It seems to have more Old World characteristics. Cherry, black currant, mocha, cola, oak, cinnamon & pencil lead. Medium plus tannins. Decant & drink now or hold for three to five more years.
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Another nice showing. Complex! Fruit is there; cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, tasteful oak spice, touches of caramel, a truffle/mushroom/earth edge. This is so nice, curious to see how it ages.
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Earthy foundation. Nice balance. Restrained fruit which allowed more underlying flavors of tobacco, herb, and dark chocolate to come through. Very enjoyable.
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Very dark red color. Decanted 1.5hrs and drank over 2.5 hrs. Nose has Cassis, cedar graphite, tobacco, dry earth. the palate is medium full bodied with ripe cassis, layering, velvety mouth feel, round tannins, black cherry, chocolate, graphite, long finish. There is a lot of structure in this wine and it should improve further. Drink with a decant or hold. 92+pts.
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Popped and poured, followed over approximately 1.5 hours. Deep purple in the glass. On the nose, fairly expressive showing notes of dark cherry, plum, blackberry, earth, spice, cedar, with a touch of caramel and some truffle notes rounding out the aromatic profile. On the palate, still fairly tannic, with moderate acidity, coating the mouth with deep red and black fruits, spice, earth and cedar notes. There is a fair amount of oak in this wine, but it is tastefully done, and given the overall substance here, I anticipate it will integrate nicely.
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Nice wine, though I think I expected more. Fruit was just a bit muted, hard to discern... Agree w/ *Vine* below... it just lacks flavor. But feels balanced, smooth finish, we still enjoyed quite a bit. I'll let the other bottle go a couple of years and what happens.
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We decanted the wine for 90 minutes, poured it back into the bottle and consumed it over 1 1/2 hours. It was dark purple in colour and offered sweet fruits, black currant, blackberry, some cherry, some plum, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate and some coffee on the nose. On the palate the medium-bodied wine showed plum, black currant, raisins, some cherry, vanilla, coffee and a hint of tea, paired with medium-level acidity, ripe medium-level tannins, a good mouthfeel and very good length. A fruit-driven wine that was much better with food than on its own. It paired particularly well with grilled peppered steak. Drink now through 2016.
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A nice wine for the money. Certainly not a Montebello, or really close to it. 42% Merlot. There were no hard edges and in 2-3 years this will be better. $27
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Excellent. Balance of fruit and oak. Represents what a California Cab should be. A little acidity on the finish that was not there last time I had this. May be a bit young.
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Bottle was consistent with the last one. Might have given it a bit more air this time which revealed a bit more of a caramel character to the oak treatment. Great berry fruit. Still a hugely pleasing bottle. Finish was just a touch sour. I think this will age effortlessly for 5 years.
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Fantastic nose right out of the gates. Lots of fruit, cherry, berry, a bit of stink, notable but integrated oak. complex spicy notes. Only thing in my mind holding this back is that the finish is maybe a touch short and acids are a bit low for my liking.
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I had the 2007 Monte Bello a couple weeks ago and this really is similar, if not quite as complex. As with the Monte Bello, a very young and bright wine at this point, but the SCM actually has a bit darker edge at this young age. I'd be happy serving this with a big dinner, even now, and am looking forward to seeing how it evolves over the next 10-15 years. Solid tannins and depth, but it is the bright fruit that is the star, for now.
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Popped and poured. Deep, youthful hue. Somewhat muted nose of dark berries, currant, herbaceous notes, and a quite a bit of toasted oak. Medium to medium-plus acidity, seemingly lighter on the palate than what the color would indicate. It's quite hard to discern any fruit and the flavors are dominated by oak. Moderate acidity points at paring with a meal, but even after the end result is this simply lacks flavor. The tannins are rough and astringent on the close. Would be best to age for a number of years before even considering revisiting and hope for the best.
Decanted about 3 hours prior to consumption and returned to bottle. Showing a lot of oak, especially on the nose initially. The oaks recedes enough on the second night to find some plummy fruit. The tannins are still very strong and mouth filling. It is still drinking a bit chunky and primary as well. There is a woodsy character among the acidity which isn't very prominent at the moment getting beat down by the fruit. This is begging for more quite a bit more time.
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Christmas Eve Wines (Dave's, Mpls): Very dark red color. Decanted for 2 hours, then drank over 2 hours. The nose is really aromatic, very floral, ripe fruits, creme de cassis and mulberry, later showing some blackberry, hints of chocolate, nice earthiness, cedar, and spices. The palate shows nice body, lush and elegant, consistent with the nose. Round to slightly firm tannins, Long finish. This is drinking really well, but definitely requires decanting.
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At Roberson's Christmas Wine Tasting (11/24/11). Quite powerful and syrupy, more like a syrah but you can definitely hit the cabernet blackcurrant notes. Very nice if seeming a bit young still.
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Beautiful wine and drinking well today. Good acidity and plenty of flavors including sour cherry, spice, minerals and earth. Medium finish and no flaws on this wine. Great QPR!
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Day 1: Decanted for 5 hours. Intense nose of overripe cassis, blueberry, fruitdriven. On the palate it was a disappointment at first. This wine is way too young to be drunk now. Harsh tanins, a lot of acid and oak. Yet you can tell that this is a great wine. Once you get through the harshness, a lot is going on here. Blueberries, Cassis, just like on the nose.
Day 2: drank the remaining half bottle after it was open for about 24 hours. It has somewhat softened down, but still very dry and high acidity. But it's way more approachable than on day 1. You can finally make out the typical peppery notes of the Cabernet Sauvignon and there is some sweetness. If you take it slow with small sips, you can taste the nice fruit.
I will not rate this wine at this point. It's obviously still a baby and needs to grow up a little more. I will try this again in 1-2 years but my guess is that it will need at least another 3-4 years before being enjoyable.
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This is shutdown/probably needed a long decant, which it didn't get. The really nice pure fruit this was showing 6-12 months ago is now hidden behind a wall of drying oak. I trust Ridge enough that this should come out fine on the other side, but let this one sit for a while.
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I've mistakenly thought Ridge was best at Zin, but this won me over for this vintage/blend. Sadly, I have only one left, but will look for more as it was a steal at $20 at a LWS (out of business now). Lots of dark fruit/cherry and woodsy/tobacco on the nose. Reminded me of Haven's Bourriquot in its' Bordeaux-like blend. Fairly long, enjoyable finish. Can I hold off (and live long enough) to wait at least 5 years to open the only one left in my cellar?
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Not a detailed tasting note, since I was busy cooking and serving holiday dinner at home for 24 people. Among several CA cabs I cracked open, and it was the best of what I got to try. Popped and poured. Black cherry in color. Can't recall the nose, but very nice on the palate and surprised me as to how ready it was to drink. No tannin. Smooth as silk and nice black fruits, cassis and a hint of leather. Just plain tasty.
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See previous notes. Shimmering and spicy; love the Asian spice,cherry and blackberry that is more evident. For the Claret lovers. Decant..... Drink 2012 - 2020.
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Similar to prior TN-- big black cherry, tobacco, dark red fruits, but picked up some graphite this time that I missed previously. Delicious now, probably will be better in 5 years if I can keep my hands off.
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Had this after two Morgons, and after dinner was done -- simply because someone had brought up Ridge and I thought I'd bring one out -- I think others liked it, but I'm still chasing the first time I tried the "baby bello," cuz this didn't do it for me, again. I think some bottle age could make this one fun. It's not overly hot, or unbalanced, it just seems like it has some strength to it that doesn't know where to go just yet.
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Ridge Tasting: A last year top ten wine of the year and at the price of $30 one of the best Cab/Merlot blends on the market. Cassis, spice, leather, chocolate and earth. On the palate and finish a nice mineral note. Good acidity and well balanced wine. This is drinking really well right now or hold for a few years.
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Ridge Tasting: Current Releases (Wine Co., St. Paul, MN): Dark red color. A blend of 58% Cab and 42% Merlot sourced from the Monte Bello Vineyard. Expressive, rich nose of creme de cassis, plum, spices, and subtle cedar. The palate is caressing with black fruits of cassis, plum, and cherry, cedar, earth, and a long finish. Lovely wine and an excellent QPR . My WOTN.
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Made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot from the Santa Cruz Mountains this rather subtle wine comes in at a tad over 13% alcohol. Deep purple in colour, I found blackcurrant, cassis and sweet cherry aromas on the nose. The palate is well balanced. Ripe red berry fruit, tobacco and chewy tannins on the finish.
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Decanted for one hour. A deep and dark ruby core, with a lighter rim. Blackberry, cherry, mint, pencil lead and black pepper nose, with evident mint, stone and berry on the palate. Long, seductive and balanced - this is my style of California Bordeaux varietal wine. Soft and noticeable tannins, with a satisfying finish. An outstanding "Second-Wine" from Monte Bello's younger vines. You can tell that the '07 Monte Bello will be mesmerizing. Drink 2012 - 2021. (2295 views)
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Decanted for one hour. A deep and dark ruby core, with a lighter rim. Blackberry, mint, pencil lead and black pepper nose, with evident mint, stone and berry on the palate. Long, seductive and balanced - this is my style of California Bordeaux varietal wine. Soft and noticeable tannins, with a satisfying finish. An outstanding "Second-Wine" from Monte Bello's younger vines. You can tell that the '07 Monte Bello will be mesmerizing. Drink 2012 - 2021.
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I'd hesitate to open these just b/c so much potential exists in the future. Very plummy, the Merlot plays a big role here in giving the wine a softer feel.
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Ordered this in a restaurant otherwise I would be upset I opened to early. This is still a youngster. There certainly isn't anything wrong with the wine, in fact, its very nice with dark fruit, complexity, and nice finish. Perfect pairing for the steak. But there is a monster hiding underneath the firm tannins a time will reward all who wait.
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Popped and poured, nowhere near as delightful this time around. Much more conventional-seeming, with a fuller body and none of the knife-edge I remember from earlier in the week. Seemed nice right out of the bottle, with some toasty cocoa notes -- but then it settled into a kind of bland, bitter cherry sort of place. We finished the bottle -- nothing offensive here -- but it wasn't a discussion-starter.
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Decanted for 24 hours at Solano Cellars, held up really nicely. Struck me as surprisingly light-medium bodied at first (i.e., surprising even for its 13%abv), but as the glass wound down it seemed fuller, more thoroughly medium. Looking forward to my own bottles.
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Can't rate yet - opened way too young, even the second day it was hard to tell what was going on. Stiff tannins and plenty of acidity to go the long haul. Try again in 2 years.
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I think this bottle may have been slightly corked. It wasn't nearly as good as the last time I tasted it, and it had a touch of musty cardboard in both aroma and flavors. That said, the wine wasn't bad. Cassis, herbs, drying tannin. But it lacked the purity of fruit expression I remembered, and the cardboard got worse with air rather than blowing off (a telltale sign of TCA). If I were scoring, I'd say this was about 85-86, rather than the 90-91 it probably should have been.
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A bit hot, tastes hotter than its 13.8%. Good full body, structure and balance (apart from the heat). Reminiscent of a right bank bordeaux (but different, of course).
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Wine Festival Tasting Room, quick notes. Great nose of rich dark cherry, plum, coffee, and tar. A touch lighter than I was expecting compared to the nose, but showing rich dark cherry, dark plum, blackberry, and coffee bean. Very nice.
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Decanted one hour. Old school style with crisp acidity and bright red fruits. Improved with air, as tannins receded leaving a silky mouthfeel. Should certainly improve with some cellar time.
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Glossy ruby with a dark inky core. Classic "claret nose" of blackcurrant, graphite and a touch of barrel toast. Forward and already very drinkable with well balanced silky tannins and lush, fresh fruit. Fully flavoured with notes of cassis, cedar and toasted oak on the finish. Lovely.
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Deep dark red color. Blackcurrant, espresso, minerals and vanilla on the nose. Very nice and complex. Firm tannins, beautiful structure and nice length on the finish
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Tasted as part of a Sampler tasting. A brambly, garrigue nose followed by a tannic palate. The finish hinted of blackcurrant but was disappointing short. Uncertain prospects in my view.
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Real nice!!! Loaded nose of black fruit, hint of floral and herbs. Lush, velvety mouthfeel that just coats the palate with the black fruit and cassis.Just a slight tannic backbone with the finish but also includes a little acidity as the finish lingers.
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I was surprised how much I liked this wine. Almost equal parts Cab-Merlot and 13% alcohol to boot, this wine had the classic Santa Cruz Mtns dose of herbal/medicinal on the nose and all throughout the finish however, very juicy blackberry and a lingering finish. Don't be afraid of the herbal qualities mentioned as it's very positively integrated with the fruit and you get this burly intensity found in wines like the infamous Kathryn Kennedy Estate or even Monte Bello. If I hadn't seen the 13% alcohol on the label, I wouldn't have believed it from the flavors and texture. Followers of old school Bordeaux will love this wine. It tastes like what the most expensive Bordeaux try to aim for, however this has more flavor and complexity.
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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Lots of ripe fruit, almost too much for me, but it is so balanced by some licorice, earth and nice acidity that it works well. Elegant and very nice. Definitely more of a throwback to older style wines. Not a lot of upside though.
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K&L Ridge Tasting (San Francisco): Really nice black fruits, pretty ripe. Hint of herbal component. Tannic on the front end with a sweet finish, nice good clean acidity at the end but a bit flabby in the front and middle (with the flavors, not the texture). Would cellar for 1-3 yrs before trying again.
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Big black cherry and tobacco on the nose; big black cherry and dark red fruits on the palate, earth, restrained by California cab standards. I see another taster compared it to Fogarty... and an interesting comparison-- I last tasted Fogarty 97 cab about 2003 and recall it similar, although Fogarty was much much bigger fruit. I suspect it will gain complexity with cellar time, given its balance.
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Big fruit nose. Continues on the palate. Sweet and fruity. Actually went well with dark chocolate. Not complex, but a nice smooth wine. Tannins are well integrated.
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Really great bottle to drink now. Sure it is young but has a great balance of fruit, acidity and tannins. Plus, I find that SC bottlings lose their fruit if you hold them too long (more than 15 yrs ). Can't wait to try the '07 Monte Bello if this is any indication of how good that wine will be.
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I enjoyed this, but I don't quite have the enthusiasm that prior reviewers and my wife have had. Not my style, true, but there are a lot of other Ridge wines that I have enjoyed with less reservation despite my old world inclinations. At first there was way too much vanilla but that calmed down and it was a typically balanced, drinkable Ridge. Mild tobacco and chocolate. Not overwhelming tannins, but enough. But for $30+ I'm looking for a little more subtlety and complexity.
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Big and Bold for a Cab/Merlot blend. Berries and tobacco on the nose. A bit of alcohol still on the pop and pour. Big fruit, cherries and plum. Tannins are big. Giving this another 6 to 12 months before trying again. With that said, I like it.
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This wine made me say WOW after my my first sip. Took me back to my long experience with Fogarty Cabs. Unlike Napa cabs, Santa Cruz wines do not seem to acheive the same ripeness, and so the wines develop differently. This wine is not overly concentrated as so many wines seem to be.
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Minneapolis Wine Club does a Blind Tasting: A sleeper wine and now a top ten of the year for me. It was interesting that in a blind tasting of eight wines this was the lowest pro rated wine by quite a bit. Blind it was the group's favorite wine of the night. Firm tannins but the wine shows cherry, blackberries, coffee and spice on the nose and palate. The finish is medium and has a nice earthy quality. I was surprised how expressive the wine was and it dominated the 2007 Andrew Will Sorella in quality at this stage of the game.
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Pop and pour. Dark opaque color. Merlot is evident but blended perfectly with the cab. Velvety mouthfeel and medium tannins made this wine great now, but hopefully only a shell of what it will become.
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California Cab Tasting, USQ Wines; 11/10/2010-11/12/2010 (New York): Has an open, slightly raisiny character to the fruit, plus acidity that tickles the nose slightly with a leafy, almost pickled bell pepper hint that lends interest without being a flaw. Fairly full on the palate, slightly peppery - a very classic feel overall to the palate. Perhaps the best value of the tasting tonight. 91+
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Drank it over two days and it showed based on the second day. Dusty aromas of mushrooms and earth. Nice balance of red and black fruit backed by chewy tannins and bright acidity. Notes of tobacco, earth and cherry vanilla complement the finish.
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A pleasant cab merlot blend somewhat approachable now, but could use at least four years cellaring. Purple; chalky, tanic, Monte Bello fruit comes through.
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Note from 72 hours after opening bottle, it was vacu-vinned and put in fridge. Yummy mountain fruit with a dark serious side and a long smooth finish. The first night showed a lot of tannin and a slight green quality, but now the tannin has resolved and there is no hint of green, and even after 72 hours this wine is still quite alive. I think this has some very good potential to shine but could use about 5 years.
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California Wine Tasting Adventure; 8/2/2010-8/6/2010 (Napa, Sonoma): Tasted at the winery. A very "red" Cabernet with good acidity. Raspberry and red currant on the nose with some hints of vanilla. Not your typical California Cabernet on the palate. Closer to Bordeaux style? More subtle and reticent on the palate, with acidity. Red fruit framed by oak. Lacked some depth and complexity. This is nice and can offer good value for those who like the Ridge style but not the Monte Bello price tag. Same vineyard as the Monte Bello, but the 2nd tier fruit.
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taut blackberry fruit in the nose. the spiced nature of the aroma of pipe tobacco. the palate is really where the mineral component shines. very vibrant, and playful acidity. the finish is rather framed by the structure of this wine. tannin grips a bit at the finish. BUY and try in 6 months. there is a skin to the fruit of the nose. not waxy, but an expanse before the fruit registers. DAY 2, next to 07 Cliff Lede Stags Leap Cab and 06 Poetry. today this shows plumier fruit on the nose. downwind from raisination (this subsides as it opens up in my glass.) and much more plump tonight. seemingly old worldy. gravel powder and a bit ashen. All the same, shows lighter body than either Cliff Lede wine.
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Made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot from the Santa Cruz Mountains this rather subtle wine comes in at a tad over 13% alcohol. Pretty good for the "new world". Deep purple in colour, I found blackcurrant, cassis and sweet cherry aromas on the nose. The palate is well balanced. Ripe red berry fruit, tobacco and chewy tannins on the finish.
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Made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot from the Santa Cruz Mountains this rather subtle wine comes in at a tad over 13% alcohol. Pretty good for the "new world". Deep purple in colour, I found blackcurrant, cassis and sweet cherry aromas on the nose. The palate is well balanced. Ripe red berry fruit, tobacco and chewy tannins on the finish.
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Deep red. Strong fruit tones on the nose. Smooth taste with a nice finsh. I had the wine pared with well marbelled rib eye and the combination was fantastic.
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58% cab 42% merlot - gets the younger fruit whereas the montebello gets the older vine fruit. nose - dark berry mouth - tight and tannic. good acidity. good sour fruit. i can see potential.
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Impressive wine. The only Ca wine I have tasted that could truly pass for Bordeaux. It tastes like a solid pauillac or St Julien. it has that Bordeaux perfume and earthiness. A bit thinner on the palate than I expected, but elegant and polished. I wish more producers in CA were making wines like this. Excellent and a great buy at $30.
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Nose - warm, savory, intense black currant, cedar, smoke, red currant, wild berries, nutmeg and dark spices. Earthy dusty black currant, grippy, tight, ashy smoke, wild berries, waxy pith, peppery.
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Decanted and drank over two nights. Tightly wound this really seems much more classic in profile for young Bordeaux varieties than even the 06 does. Lean and wrapped up some but still some classic cigar, cassis, plum and cedar notes. The Merlot doesn't seem as forward as the 06 either and the tannins come on late and stronger on night two. Good balance and length. I would think this is what people call somewhat 'backwards' and really in need of time. This should go a long ways and pay off handsomely. Such a bargain for those of us who like classically styled Cabs and Bordeaux blends. (58% Cab/42% Merlot)
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a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot. It is not yet released, and was quite chewy and dense with scents of lavender and leather. The 2006 is 56% Cabernet, 42% Merlot, and 2% Petite Verdot, and had coffee notes adn an herbaceousness that the 2007 did not.
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Nose - classic SCM Cab, and forward proper Merlot fruit, lots of black currant, youthful, pepper, vanilla, golden beet, hint of green peppercorn. Cedar shows with time. Coal, blackberry. Lighter body, black currant and cedar, Merlot, lime zest, hint of tobacco. Drink '17-'37.
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12/31/2023 - SirJ Likes this wine: 95 Points
During New Year's Eve, the following wines were drunk, for starters Red beet carpaccio;
2019 Bizkaiko Txakolina XX Edition Limited.
100% Hondarrabi Zuri
2021 Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
100% Pinot Noir
For main course, whole Entrecôte (on low heat 150 °C), hazelnut potatoes and pepper sauce;
Chateau Pontet Canet 2015
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot.
For starters, it was very interesting to put a white and a red wine against each other. Everyone around the table thought both worked very well. 2019 Bizkaiko Txakolina showed straw yellow color, orange, herbs, a slightly buttery salty note, complex with good length. Although I myself thought the Kutch PN was fantastic with the food, sublime fruit, well balanced and a nice finish.
With the main course both wines were fantastic, what wines. Pontet Canet 2015 is, of course, young, and despite 4 hours in the carafe, the wine felt a little restrained to begin with. But after another 1 hour, this wine grew and grew, cassis and minerality that only good Bordeaux can exhibit. The Ridge Cabernet was just as good, and had an additional dimension of forest floor, leather, tobacco and blackcurrant, but also plum, but also red cherry. Classic Santa Cruz Mountain fruit, despite its 16 years, the wine exhibits a fantastic acidity. Glad I have a bottle left of the 2007.
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12/3/2023 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Popped and served; this for me was very good, but if anything still well short of fully mature. The nose was all black and blue fruits with just a hint of oak spice remaining; minimal herbal hints, but just a bit of fresh soil developing. Very well balanced and quite good with steak. Easily will drink well for another decade and likely more.
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6/2/2023 - Rich S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured but should have decanted for sediment. Medium crimson color. Intriguing nose of black plum, cassis, spicy bloody mary, and a bit of oak coming through. Definitely has some vegetal notes to go along with the fruit which I found quite enjoyable. Similar flavors on the palate with a mixture of both ripe and tart dark berry fruits mixed with some tomato leaf, pyrazine and spicy oak. Medium+ acid, medium tannin and body. This wine is in a very nice spot and enjoyable with food or on its own.
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5/27/2023 - askoje wrote: 92 Points
Dark and dense red color. Bramble fruit, Madagascar vanilla and mocha on the nose. Very inviting. Outstanding balance with lots of blackberries, dark raspberries, some almond and dried herbs on the back end. This has developed great and is drinking exceptionally now. Very long finish. One of the best Ridge SCM estate I have had. 92/93
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10/16/2022 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. It started with a super highly acidity, the body is medium to med+. After about 30 min it gained comolexity and balanced. It goes well with meat and /or cheese. Very good finish.
No surprise there is no need to rush with this wine. Drink or hold for the next 5-10 years…
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6/19/2022 - hadukla wrote: 100 Points
Full disclosure : I may be biased. This was the specific glass that turned me on to wine in 2011 at Restaurant Daniel, so having it again 11 years later is quite special. Ridge was kind enough to send me 3 from the library, 1 I shared with friends as part of a vertical that included a 14, 16, 17, 18 estate cab and 3 of 4 picked this to be the winner. My last bottle will sit for another 5 years.
Beautiful color to it, very slight brickish rim but still a deeply opaque red through the rest. Very slight funk on the nose but quickly overpowered by the powerful fruit with a slight vanilla overtone. It drinks beautifully: ribbony, silky smooth fruit and tannins balanced like a high-wire pro. I hope this has many more years on it, I want to find more bottles!
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6/12/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Very dark red color. PNP, drank several glasses over 3 hours. Holy Shmoly was this good. I've had this a number of times over the years and it's always good, but man this was special. Gorgeous perfumed nose with incense, menthol, well delineated fruits of cassis, blackberry, blueberry; graphite, amazing damp forest floor, leather and mushroom. This just goes on and on. I could sit and small this one all night. The palate leaves nothing behind either following suit beautifully, silky texture, graphite galore, that same gorgeous fruit adding creme de cassis notes, succulent and earthy. Nicely structured with velvety tannins that still hold you and a lingering finish. This has a lot of life left, easily 5 -7 years or more. Always a treat to go out on a high note, but I wish I had a small stash to see how long this goes.
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5/23/2022 - nzinkgraf wrote:
At Osteria via Stato with Dan H.
A very flattering wine. Potentially it’s best yet. Suave and unassuming blackberry fruit. Some underlying mineral tones, but nothing at all green. I wish I had more time to wax on this, but it was just so damn chuggable from the cork pull, that, well…she gone.
Extend the drinking window. Was 2010-2025, now 2010-2035.
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5/14/2022 - Amberissey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Juicy and wonderfully fresh on the nose with black fruit, ripe black cherry and blackberry. Also juice saturated pie pastry, which I find a Ridge hallmark. Also woodsmoke. Also a light seasoning of cedar. Good grip on the palette. Light, delicate chocolate on the palette. Great stuff
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5/14/2022 - paintinginacave Likes this wine: 90 Points
90 minute slow oxidation when the wine was first tasted. Drank five hours later. A light purple core fading to a medium ruby outer edge. The nose opens up with American oak, blackcurrants, mulberry, boysenberry, black cherry, wood smoke, violets, grilled peppers, and damp autumn leaves. Five hours later and the American oak has disappeared entirely leaving a rich, highly concentrated, and inviting nose where dark fruits and damp herbs shine. The palate is rich and dense with ripe black fruits and a touch of liquorice. There’s a restraint and elegance that I’ve found in all of the Ridge wines I’ve tasted, which speaks volumes for this producer and their ability to balance power and subtlety.
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3/23/2022 - hadukla Likes this wine: 97 Points
Had it as part of a ridge estate cab vertical inc. 14, 16, 17, 18. The '07 shined through like a diamond! Beautifully balanced, smooth, & silky. Went down too easy, glad I have one more in the cellar as this has many more years left, I reckon!
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1/8/2022 - Wine O’ Clock Likes this wine: 92 Points
Acid MH
Tannin M
Leather cassis cigar box
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11/14/2021 - alanh13 wrote:
Perfect storage at the Wine Society. Quite young. Lots of fruit, nice coconut and oak, great with steak but I would decant a bit longer or give it a few more years.
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10/17/2021 - moxielady wrote: 90 Points
Just ok
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8/21/2021 - vmad wrote:
Bedre enn forrige flaske. Veldig mørk farge. Mørk frukt med et snev av solbær. Noe eik. God lengde. Etter en uke i kjøleskap er vinen blitt bedre med mer solbærsmak.
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2/13/2021 - moxielady Likes this wine: 93 Points
ready to drink, balanced dark fruit acid and tannins. moderate sediment.
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12/8/2020 - O'Meara Likes this wine:
Quick decant to remove the sediment and then followed over three hours. It was ready to go as soon as I opened it. The fruit was unapologetic and bold, but it maintained a refinement that Ridge does so well. Still primary and vigorous, but I am left to wonder if the fruit will ever truly integrate with the oak and acidity. Oh well, it’s my last bottle from an enjoyable case, so I may never know. I’d buy this again in a heartbeat. It was a helluva value.
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10/26/2020 - moxielady wrote: 91 Points
Needed some breathing then opened up nicely
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8/16/2020 - grossie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better than the last one. Great length, good solid fruit. Tannins are relatively soft, it's ready to go. Very nice wine.
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7/11/2020 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep dark center, red rim with some signs of age.
Intense blackcurrant, smokey, bright cherries.
Great cassis fruit, oaky ash, sappy, touch of iodine, good mouthfeel, some acidity and tannin remaining, fantastically long finish of blackcurrants and green pepper (with a little bandaid).
Best bottle of the three, insanely good Bordeaux-like wine. Will last for another 5-10 years.
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7/1/2020 - RD59 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Should have decanted, opened up beautifully after 30-45 minutes. Plenty of fruit (plum, cherry) splendid colour. Ready to drink, don’t see any upside but can’t see it fading yet.
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6/30/2020 - grossie Likes this wine:
Very nice, starting to tire I think. Next one soon
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6/12/2020 - Rickets Likes this wine: 93 Points
delicious. at peak i figure.
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6/6/2020 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drinking well. A little woodiness and slightly jammy. Not as good as the previous bottle, but still an excellent Cab/Merlot blend.
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12/29/2019 - moxielady wrote: 94 Points
Drinking very well now
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12/18/2019 - StraightnoChaser Likes this wine: 91 Points
Coravin’d and set on the counter for an hour.
Initial nose of olive and desert brush (not forest floor by any means, this is too dry for that descriptor). I get dried red fruit, tobacco and some leather.
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11/8/2019 - vmad wrote:
Enten litt for gammel, eller luftet for kort tid. Har opplevd amerikansk cab som har blitt kvitt det med lang lufting. Har et preg av tørket frukt som jeg ikke liker. På flaska står det lagringspotensiale 8-10 år. Tappet på flaske i 2009.
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10/4/2019 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark red center, red/pink rim with some signs of age.
Sweet briar, rolling tobacco, a little exotic, black cherries, herb de Provence, green pepper.
Smooth, classic Bordeaux, modest acid and tannin, pyrazines, great taste of dark red fruit and herbs, excellent length.
Great Ridge Cab, very old world Bordeaux, drinking very well now (but still has a few years left).
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9/22/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Very dark red color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 2.5hrs. 58% Cab/42% Merlot. Striking immediately, this feels like it has everything put together. Very lovely nose with fruit, cassis at the forefront, boysenberry, and then as this gets just a little air the an earthy essence unfolds, layered by olive tapenade and underbrush. The palate is ful; bodied, silky texture, cassis, boysenberry, earth, underbrush, dried wood and fine tannins on a long finish. Harmonious and in full swing now, with good integration but certainly no rush.
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9/16/2019 - James Kim Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted. Initially very rich plummy fruit backed by nice acids. However, there was a funky aroma that dominated the nose. With air, the fruit recedes and the structure comes out more. Now 3h after decant, aromas of cassis, blackberries, hints of leather, tobacco and herbs. Cassis, blackberries and even some pomegranate on the palate with hints of leather and tobacco. There's a hollowness with dilution on the midpalate with still prominent tannins on the back end. A nice wine but was expecting more complexity and depth.
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7/5/2019 - Erik R. wrote:
dark and mature looking. sour boysenberries, tortilla chips, a little muted at first. cherry, raspberry, nice structure with grippy soft tannins.
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4/19/2019 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Dark as night. Pretty ripe black fruit nose, cherry, plum and berry. A bit of earthiness. Rich but dry black fruit flavour and a long dry fuzzy finish.
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3/25/2019 - neilsforest Likes this wine:
Still very lively. Lots of fruit left.
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11/5/2018 - Duderino Likes this wine: 95 Points
In its sweet spot, right now!
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10/4/2018 - Duce wrote: 90 Points
Fading a bit, still very good cab
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8/14/2018 - ThisIsAlan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of sour blackberries and clay. Really nicely balanced on the palate, with medium tannins and sour cherries crossed with morel mushrooms. Drink drink drink; this is so good right now.
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4/13/2018 - rjsmall Likes this wine:
Deep red, inky colour. Green pepper and tar on nose. Black pepper, green pepper and a bit of tobacco. Fine tannins. Medium length finish. Took about an hour or so to really open but enjoyable.
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3/24/2018 - fcxj wrote: 80 Points
Unbalanced, lacks energy.
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10/6/2017 - Corrie Likes this wine: 91 Points
WS:86
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7/2/2017 - weisinc wrote:
- Garnet color with slow forming legs and aromas of dusty. It's in total harmony and has flavours of dusty, cloves and oak with a full body. Leathery texture with a long finish.
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1/25/2017 - up4wine wrote: 90 Points
Excellent Bordeaux style CA wine from Santa Cruz. They do well by keeping the oak in check and letting the fruit speak its own story.
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12/22/2016 - up4wine wrote: 91 Points
Great balance and a great blend. This wine has integrated very nicely and is well composed front to back. Clean, bright fruit that still has lively twists and turns of nose and flavor.
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10/27/2016 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
Similar to previous notes. Plenty of time left.
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10/2/2016 - Alzero Does not like this wine: 75 Points
Overripe, acidified, unpleasant. May be interesting when bottled. But aging makes the difference. But this is nothing to pay 50 dollars for. How sad. This may be one of the de errors the big pre taster is responsible for.
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8/21/2016 - gcarl wrote: 95 Points
Very dark, dark ruby color, baked raspberry nose; silky textured, tart baked raspberry. Absolutely as good a CA bordeaux blend I have had. Sadly, my last bottle. I would pay a LOT more than the
$20/btl I paid in 2010 at a LWS which is sadly out of buisiness.
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8/15/2016 - timbobwhite Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 3 hours (sediment) Nose of cassis and plum. Great structure and balance. Very elegant. Built to last.
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6/30/2016 - greidy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very dark red, almost black and opaque, opens with black fruits (cherries, blackberries and plums), and after 45 minutes in the glass - you get cedar, wet earth, some licorice and pepper. Almost heavy body, great palate - lots of everything: fruits, alcohol, acidity, tasty tannin, and all of these are very nicely integrated together. Medium finish, at least 25 seconds or more. Excellent wine from the excellent and super reliable winery. I believe it may improve in a year or two, but it is already in excellent drinking window. Cheers!
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6/18/2016 - grossie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gorgeous rich bottle of cab. The vegetal side is gone, the fruit is deep, dark, and round. Lots of sediment. No rush to drink but there's nothing wrong with drinking it now.
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4/9/2016 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Masters Saturday and a great showing. Pop and pour with cherry, plums, dust, minerals and earth. Medium plus finish and really balanced effort. Nice acidity and a good stand alone wine to drink. Drink now to 2020.
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1/7/2016 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
This took two hours to open and then seemed primary. Beautiful nose of Mtn fruit and stones. Still young, no secondary flavors. Nice purple grip in the finish.
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12/13/2015 - ajbergren wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby with medium plus optical density, with slow-forming tears that leave some light stains. Medium intensity and complexity nose, with stewed prunes, currant, chocolate, saw dust, bramble, and leather. On the palate, it is dry and full bodied with medium acidity and mellow tannins. Mouth-feel is supple, with good concentration and density, but not syrupy or overpowering. The attack shows a good complexity of flavours, with dark berries and prunes, underlying leather/earth, and vegetal notes that really start to pick up at mid-palate. Toward the finish, the leather and earth is felt, with a medium plus finish length leaving tobacco, stewed fruits, and leather lingering. Very much old-world in style, with good balance and variety of fruit/vegetal/earth flavours.
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10/29/2015 - Jonathan T wrote: 92 Points
Still a fantastic wine and an outstanding value from Ridge. The tannins have completely dissolved and it is starting to show its secondary nuances. This is not a flashy, flamboyant modern styled wine, just simply an impeccably well made, classic cabernet that drinks like an older Bordeaux, although evolving faster than its french counterpart. Still has some years ahead of it, but if you prefer your cabs young, I would suggesting consuming this sooner rather than later.
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10/5/2015 - amateurwino wrote: 91 Points
A terrific bottle of old-school California cab that shows that not all Cali cab has to be super-ripe, dense and over-the-top. There's plenty of ripe fruit but also an acid profile that makes this wine lean on the tart side, in a good way. Factor in the price and this has got to be one of the best value plays in California cab in its price range. Need to buy more vintages of this. 91+
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9/5/2015 - askoje wrote: 92 Points
Deep dark red color. Dark ripe fruit on the nose with mostly blackberries and blueberries combined with sweet vanilla. Very inviting and youthful fruit on the palate with smooth tannins. Elegant mountain cabernet with tremendous complexity and great acidity. This is now as good as I have tasted this wine ever. Since the last time, it has surprisingly much fresh dark fruit left, and the tannins are smoother and overall complexity greater. Will cellar my remaining bottle for several more years, but this wine is absolutely showing well at this stage. 92+
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8/8/2015 - diggydan wrote: 91 Points
Earth and tobacco leaves. Tasty and not nearly as fruity as 2007 Lytton Springs.
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7/12/2015 - timbobwhite wrote:
Decanted for sediment (necessary). Tasted at 2 hrs. Young looking. Black to deep purple edge. Cassis, cherry and a hint of menthol. Some complexity, Loveley blend of Cab and Merlot. Reaching end of primary and beginning secondary. Medium to long, lingering finish. This got better and better with more time open. Best at 4 hours when we finished. Good balance, acid, fruit and tannin. I would keep up to another 5 years.
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5/24/2015 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
This is obviously better than previously tasting a year+ ago. Tannins are resolving and this is drinking well straight from the bottle. Medium bodied. Bordeaux style with a tart quality and a stoney finish. Lots of minerals and comes across like a low alcohol wine.
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3/18/2015 - NiklasW wrote: 90 Points
ChTR kokous 18.3.2015 (SKO-toimisto): Decanted. This was a rather dark purplish wine with some browning becoming evident. The nose was a blast of cassis, tons of black fruit, and quite a bit of toasty vanilla, very California, but very enticing. The palate had lots of tannins and lots of cassis, full-bodied, big, bold and delicious. An excellent wine in its genre, I enjoyed it!
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3/15/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Great blend of red and black fruits; palate is medium to full bodied, integrated tannins, nice texture; medium finish. Very nice and balanced overall, but there are better vintages of this bottling (the 2010 and 2012 come to mind). 89-90
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2/9/2015 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smoking good blend from Ridge. Great integration of flavors and balance. I think now is the time to drink!
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2/1/2015 - wythes Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid wine. Give it at least 30 minutes in the decanter before digging in. Had some tight tannins at first, but they mellowed out with some air and some time.
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12/15/2014 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Best bottle I've had of this yet, not so acid forward and rustic as I recall this bottling. Concentration, fruit flesh and full black fruit on the palate. After 2 hours open, lots of fruit for a Ridge Cab. I guess 07 is finally speaking. Check back tomorrow.
Sediment.
Day 2. More complexity than day 1. Licorice, med/+ acid, tobacco, still black fruit, but not as concentrated or singular as yesterday.
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11/22/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Very dark red-purple color. PNP with aeration from bottle. Drank 2 glasses over 3 hours and revisited 48 hours later. This bottle was a bit of an enigma starting off rather tight and unrewarding. Subtle earth, oak, and murky black fruits on the nose with a fairly deep, full bodied palate with sour black fruits, oak, and firm tannic grip. This improved significantly over 2 hours, but still was a bit underwhelming compared with previous bottles. I would have rated it at 89 to 90 at its peak that evening. I didn't get a chance to revisit it until a good 48 hours later. The overall integration and resolution was noticeable. The nose had become more aromatic, showing damp earth, cassis, cedar, blackberry. The palate was much softer and felt medium full bodied now with creme de cassis, plum, graphite, hints of creme de menthe, and pleasant wood notes. Very good now, 91+ but still not up to previous bottles. Probably a hold at this point.
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5/24/2014 - Mezz wrote: 92 Points
Still a touch young and needs 1+ hours air to really soften and open up. Needs 3-5 years still, but really good quality for the price.
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3/30/2014 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
I had this wine about two years ago and since then the merlot has really come out. The wine is much more approachable after an hour of air. Disappointed there wasn't more complexity to the wine. Started off tight and tarty, then opened with the merlot to a soft jammy wine. Smelled and appeared like a baby Montebello, but wasn't to be. 90/91
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2/21/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Very dark red/purple color. Initial PNP followed by a decant over 2 hours. This was an interesting experience tonight. It does not really seem like this has progressed any since I last had it a year and a half ago. Out of the bottle it was harsh and tannic with somewhat abrasive oak/spice - the nose was decent. Clearly needed to be decanted so I obliged. Sitting in the glass this at times it has a quite engaging nose as in the past, fresh and vibrant with lovely cassis, and dark berries, mulberry, graphite, damp earthiness, tobacco and spices. At other points it seems more reticent. The palate becomes more like what I expected, nicely textured, medium plus body, some tartness, cassis, mulberry, tobacco, graphite, chocolate, and spice. The tannins are quite firm and food is a benefit. Maybe this is in an awkward phase right now, as even with the decant, this had some Jekyll and Hyde moments. I highly recommend decanting for at least an hour, but while this certainly is approachable, I'd give this another couple years ideally.
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2/12/2014 - clairenclarence wrote: 91 Points
bttl decant 30 min.veri rich deep nose of fruits.some toast(oak) too.soft structure.a veri open wine revealing everything it got effortlessly.it has veri rich fruits.slightly active tannins.nice complexity.I wud luv this bttl more restraint so I cud njoy more glass.
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2/12/2014 - Derek Darth Taster Likes this wine: 92 Points
Italian / Pseudo-Italian / Free-style Wine Night (Extra Space): Tasted blind. Opened and aired in bottle for about an hour before drinking. Dark blackish colour. Expressive nose with sweet vanilla oak that really reminded me of an Italian SuperTuscan wine. Smooth entry with lots of plush dark fruit and cassis on the palate. Creamy mouth-feel and big chewy tannins, but under control. Long finish. No doubt a food wine, but I like this! I guessed 5-10 year old SuperTuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, without any Sangiovese. Not often that I get to taste an American wine. Interesting! I feel this could be better in another 4-5 years. 13.3% alcohol.
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1/11/2014 - wineotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine has softened since last years bottle, the Merlot has come forward, it continues to have the aromas and structure to make this an exceptional bottle of wine at this price. Excellent QPR. Can’t wait to try the ‘09’s and ‘10s I have.
Update: possibly a high sulfite content...got headache.
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1/8/2014 - kthornton78 wrote: 93 Points
lovely bottle of wine in a very good place. complex nose that shows the classic black/briary SCM fruit with notes of cedar and sweet tobacco. the palate shows blackberry, cassis, and herbs with nice lift and tension that keeps the wine from feeling at all heavy.
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1/3/2014 - wadcorp Likes this wine:
Consistent with earlier bottle.
And here I was going to hold this one a bit longer. Best laid plans…
.
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12/24/2013 - OmiyaDrinker wrote: 90 Points
Superb nose that reminded me of an acidic Super tuscan - cranberry, cassis, metalic. Smooth and creamy profile with slight hole in mid-palate. Interesting spice - hint of clove. Long finish but just a little asringent and sharp.
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9/4/2013 - Jonathan T Likes this wine: 92 Points
Especially with this vintage, it's not a stretch to describe it as a baby Monte Bello. This wine tastes so refined even in its youth. Bordeaux-like notes of wet earth, dried leaves give balance to the dried berry fruits. There is a savory component of red peppers on a grill, along with slowly smoked tri tip. One taster commented that it smelled and tasted like autumn. One professional reviewer questioned its longevity and I disagree. Ridge wines always over-achieve and out-perform expectations with regards to ageability. But that being said, it's delicious now. This is easily one of the best <$40 cabernet-based wines I've ever had. Wine at this price point is rarely this elegant. Draper is god.
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8/19/2013 - cab blends wrote: 89 Points
Associates Wine Dinner (Our House): This was a powerful spicy wine - in fact amazingly spicy for a cab/merlot. I was looking for the Zin in the blend. It will be interesting to see this in 3 or 4 years - possible potential as this has the power to lie down. It may make it to 90 in the future. My score now is 87 but that is probably unfair - so I have split the difference
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8/19/2013 - grayfont Likes this wine: 92 Points
Associates' Forum Wine Dinner (Sean Ballington's Home, Great Falls, VA): delicious. soft mouthfeel. still way too young for me - tannins still very prominent - I think this will be extraordinary starting around 2016. 89 now, 92 for potential.
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8/10/2013 - alion wrote: 92 Points
Disjointed on day 1 - been stored above ideal temp for the last few weeks - chocolate, bitterness on the finish. Day 2, after stored in fridge, different wine. Wonderful as a few months ago: intoxicating black and red fruit nose, hints of leather, blackcurrant, liquorice. Cigar box and the same on the palate. Maybe some violet too. Fresh but full, and finishes long. Still might pick as French. 92+
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7/24/2013 - thewineoceros wrote: 91 Points
Good balance, velvety tannins, plenty of red fruit and spice, touch of cedar. Medium finish
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6/12/2013 - OttawaB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well balanced, smooth. Hoping for a bit more oomph .... depth. Overall, very nice berries and cassis. Medium bodied, medium length of finish, medium tannins. Decent acidity.
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5/19/2013 - Jump29 wrote: 89 Points
This one was fine.
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5/19/2013 - Jump29 wrote: flawed
Corked.
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4/19/2013 - chukon99 wrote: 85 Points
Maybe this wine is in a weird place, but I found it to be completely dominated by the merlot. It was very plummy with maybe a little bit of blackberry and vanilla. If I'd tasted this blind, I never would have pegged it as a blend, and especially not one from Ridge. They're one of my favorite producers, but this seemed very "new world" in the sense of very ripe and prominently oaked. After about 5 hours of air, I started getting some notes of red currants and a little cedar, but they were easily overwhelmed by the plum.
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4/14/2013 - golfwine wrote: 90 Points
Planning to heed the advice herein, I emptied it into the mid-sized decanter and returned it to the cellar for 2hrs. Of course, I had an initial taste before and the aromatics were amazing with elevated herbal and licorice tones; though the flavors were tight and slightly sharp. At the two hour mark, with slightly withdrawn aromatics, the flavors were all Right Bank Bordeaux with prominent toasted cedar and melted licorice. This is a serious wine, which is fittingly referred to as "Baby Bello". And, at 25-30% of the price ...with solid mid-term aging potential, this is a must try recommendation.
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4/13/2013 - alion Likes this wine: 94 Points
2+ hours air. Lovely wine. Wonderful freshness. Creamy - but the oak is not overdone - and haunting blackcurrant, hints of cigar box and violet on the nose. Plenty of fleshy plum from the merlot on the palate. Respectfully disagree with others - I think this could pass for a modern style bordeaux in a classic vintage. Love the balance. Very classy indeed.
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3/25/2013 - jonahfactor Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lean and vegetal when it first hits the glass, rounding out over time and providing some nice berry notes intermixed with graphite and toasty oak in the background. Over dinner it becomes elegant, and drinks more Left Bank Bordeaux than Californian.
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3/16/2013 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Paired with 2007 Monte Bello Cab blend as second wine course with the main dinner course. This wine was opened 45 minutes before pouring - should have opened sooner.
Good color and aroma, lively. Medium weight, tannins resolved, nice balance. Threw a bit of sediment.
So a nice wine and everyone was happy with this wine. It is likely at its maturity, with some life left. However it paled against the Monte Bello.
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3/10/2013 - Baron Slick wrote: 93 Points
Mulberry color; aromatic nose of blackberries, black currants, black plums, cedar, vanilla, chocolate, baking spices, licorice, and black pepper; develops hints of pipe tobacco and graphite; classic in style with finesse, depth, structure, sleek tannins, a fine texture, and excellent integration; rich in black plum, blackberry, black and red currant, and cherry flavors; good length on the finish. Restrained, elegant, and harmonious.
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2/26/2013 - Shiaxonna wrote: 87 Points
Quite good cabernet. Since this is a blend with merlot, I kind of expected some more classical bordeaux-characteristics, but they were not prominent in this wine. This was something else. And enjoyable!
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2/2/2013 - wineotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful wine to see and smell, very alluring. Dark fruit flavors are framed by dry, sturdy, chewy, firm tannins and balanced acidity. The oak influence is thankfully kept in check. Wonderful structure and texture to this wine. A long life ahead of it. I can't think of a better cab/merlot blend at this price. Monte Bello is a moot point.
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1/30/2013 - askoje wrote: 92 Points
*Decanted for 2-3 hours*
Beautiful nose with lots of blackberries, blackcurrant, blueberries and hint of milk chocolate and vanilla. Also some notes of warm gravel on the end of the nose as it gets more air. A big and rich wine on the palate, yet very fresh and delicate. Lots of blueberries that is paired nicely with blackcurrant and dried herbs. Oak and alcohol integration is marvelous. This is silky smooth, but with enough structure and tannins to last for a long time. Serious long finish. This is getting better and better for each year I taste it. 92+
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1/19/2013 - moods wrote: 90 Points
Lovely and smooth. Spicy stewed fruits. Creamy toasty oak. A refined wine, very well made.
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1/9/2013 - affordableCollector wrote: 91 Points
ruby, dark, in color. raspberry, blueberry, cherry, earth, caramel, mocha, cedar, oak, on the nose. large tannins, mild acid, on the finish.
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1/5/2013 - dzitt wrote: 92 Points
Couleur rubis foncé. Nez sur la tarte aux petits fruits, épices, un peu de terre noire et de fumée. En bouche, le vin offre une belle matière, équilibré, belle acidité, bien sec (pas d'impression de sucre ou de caramel), affiche une certaine fraicheur, mais semble encore compact et jeune. Des saveurs de fruit (fraises cuites, mûres, bleuets), d'épices (anis, cannelle), de menthe, un peu de cuir et un boisé luxueux qui n'écrase pas le fruit en font un vin ayant un profil bordelais rive-droite, à mon palais du moins. Excellent, possiblement pour un bon moment (garde de 10 à 15 ans ?).
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12/15/2012 - astroman wrote:
California Cabernet Tasting: Herb, good depth and structure.
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12/14/2012 - nzinkgraf wrote:
At Matt and Jess's place with the 'Rents, and Diane per lasagne. Drinking great. Medium plus body, medium plus acid. Black fruit and tobacco. Medium fine grained tannin.
On Day 2, back label talks of press wine addition and there is quite an edge that indicates that on the mid palate. Not plush and polished. A touch of kernel as well.
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11/27/2012 - scott w Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose dark berries, a little funk and cedar, taste cassis, tart berries, leather a little soy, earth mouth watering acidiy and firm tannins. So delicious and complex. Drink now with a long decant or wait a few more years if you can. Wow
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11/17/2012 - wadcorp wrote: 91 Points
If poured blind, I would have sworn this was French. It seems to have more Old World characteristics. Cherry, black currant, mocha, cola, oak, cinnamon & pencil lead. Medium plus tannins. Decant & drink now or hold for three to five more years.
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11/15/2012 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
Another nice showing. Complex! Fruit is there; cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, tasteful oak spice, touches of caramel, a truffle/mushroom/earth edge. This is so nice, curious to see how it ages.
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10/3/2012 - Isdaddy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Earthy foundation. Nice balance. Restrained fruit which allowed more underlying flavors of tobacco, herb, and dark chocolate to come through. Very enjoyable.
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9/29/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Very dark red color. Decanted 1.5hrs and drank over 2.5 hrs. Nose has Cassis, cedar graphite, tobacco, dry earth. the palate is medium full bodied with ripe cassis, layering, velvety mouth feel, round tannins, black cherry, chocolate, graphite, long finish. There is a lot of structure in this wine and it should improve further. Drink with a decant or hold. 92+pts.
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9/22/2012 - alittle wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured, followed over approximately 1.5 hours. Deep purple in the glass. On the nose, fairly expressive showing notes of dark cherry, plum, blackberry, earth, spice, cedar, with a touch of caramel and some truffle notes rounding out the aromatic profile. On the palate, still fairly tannic, with moderate acidity, coating the mouth with deep red and black fruits, spice, earth and cedar notes. There is a fair amount of oak in this wine, but it is tastefully done, and given the overall substance here, I anticipate it will integrate nicely.
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9/3/2012 - fudp wrote: 90 Points
Last bottle in cellar, each better than the one before. Great balance. Great with a variety of foods
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8/31/2012 - domco wrote: 89 Points
Nice wine, though I think I expected more. Fruit was just a bit muted, hard to discern... Agree w/ *Vine* below... it just lacks flavor. But feels balanced, smooth finish, we still enjoyed quite a bit. I'll let the other bottle go a couple of years and what happens.
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8/5/2012 - PSPatrick wrote: 89 Points
We decanted the wine for 90 minutes, poured it back into the bottle and consumed it over 1 1/2 hours. It was dark purple in colour and offered sweet fruits, black currant, blackberry, some cherry, some plum, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate and some coffee on the nose. On the palate the medium-bodied wine showed plum, black currant, raisins, some cherry, vanilla, coffee and a hint of tea, paired with medium-level acidity, ripe medium-level tannins, a good mouthfeel and very good length. A fruit-driven wine that was much better with food than on its own. It paired particularly well with grilled peppered steak. Drink now through 2016.
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7/8/2012 - Dave Canada wrote: 93 Points
Great wine....no formal notes but spectacular. Makes me want to buy lots of Monte Bello
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5/19/2012 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
A nice wine for the money. Certainly not a Montebello, or really close to it. 42% Merlot. There were no hard edges and in 2-3 years this will be better. $27
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5/16/2012 - Twinkles wrote: 90 Points
Excellent. Balance of fruit and oak. Represents what a California Cab should be. A little acidity on the finish that was not there last time I had this. May be a bit young.
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5/12/2012 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
Bottle was consistent with the last one. Might have given it a bit more air this time which revealed a bit more of a caramel character to the oak treatment. Great berry fruit. Still a hugely pleasing bottle. Finish was just a touch sour. I think this will age effortlessly for 5 years.
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4/25/2012 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic nose right out of the gates. Lots of fruit, cherry, berry, a bit of stink, notable but integrated oak. complex spicy notes. Only thing in my mind holding this back is that the finish is maybe a touch short and acids are a bit low for my liking.
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4/8/2012 - JBVino wrote:
Really solid effort! Balanced, deep/complicated flavor profile, great fruit, really good structure and length
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3/4/2012 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with past note. Drinking really well even though it's still so young.
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2/17/2012 - missionpk wrote: 92 Points
I had the 2007 Monte Bello a couple weeks ago and this really is similar, if not quite as complex. As with the Monte Bello, a very young and bright wine at this point, but the SCM actually has a bit darker edge at this young age. I'd be happy serving this with a big dinner, even now, and am looking forward to seeing how it evolves over the next 10-15 years. Solid tannins and depth, but it is the bright fruit that is the star, for now.
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2/5/2012 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Deep, youthful hue. Somewhat muted nose of dark berries, currant, herbaceous notes, and a quite a bit of toasted oak. Medium to medium-plus acidity, seemingly lighter on the palate than what the color would indicate. It's quite hard to discern any fruit and the flavors are dominated by oak. Moderate acidity points at paring with a meal, but even after the end result is this simply lacks flavor. The tannins are rough and astringent on the close. Would be best to age for a number of years before even considering revisiting and hope for the best.
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1/11/2012 - WetRock wrote:
Decanted about 3 hours prior to consumption and returned to bottle. Showing a lot of oak, especially on the nose initially. The oaks recedes enough on the second night to find some plummy fruit. The tannins are still very strong and mouth filling. It is still drinking a bit chunky and primary as well. There is a woodsy character among the acidity which isn't very prominent at the moment getting beat down by the fruit. This is begging for more quite a bit more time.
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12/24/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Christmas Eve Wines (Dave's, Mpls): Very dark red color. Decanted for 2 hours, then drank over 2 hours. The nose is really aromatic, very floral, ripe fruits, creme de cassis and mulberry, later showing some blackberry, hints of chocolate, nice earthiness, cedar, and spices. The palate shows nice body, lush and elegant, consistent with the nose. Round to slightly firm tannins, Long finish. This is drinking really well, but definitely requires decanting.
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12/13/2011 - janebob wrote: 89 Points
Excellent quality for the money. The oak was a little too strong, will give a few years to calm down. Overall very bold and flavorful.
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11/25/2011 - Lord of the Bottles wrote: 90 Points
At Roberson's Christmas Wine Tasting (11/24/11). Quite powerful and syrupy, more like a syrah but you can definitely hit the cabernet blackcurrant notes. Very nice if seeming a bit young still.
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11/21/2011 - Papies wrote: 89 Points
Ridge Monte Bello 1994-2000 Vertical with Eric Baugher (Handford Wines, London): Lots of red fruit on the nose, young red fruit style ( like an en primeur wine ). Some oak. Lacks depth but ok . 88-89 and wait a year or so.
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11/19/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine and drinking well today. Good acidity and plenty of flavors including sour cherry, spice, minerals and earth. Medium finish and no flaws on this wine. Great QPR!
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11/11/2011 - cryptochrome wrote:
Day 1: Decanted for 5 hours. Intense nose of overripe cassis, blueberry, fruitdriven. On the palate it was a disappointment at first. This wine is way too young to be drunk now. Harsh tanins, a lot of acid and oak. Yet you can tell that this is a great wine. Once you get through the harshness, a lot is going on here. Blueberries, Cassis, just like on the nose.
Day 2: drank the remaining half bottle after it was open for about 24 hours. It has somewhat softened down, but still very dry and high acidity. But it's way more approachable than on day 1. You can finally make out the typical peppery notes of the Cabernet Sauvignon and there is some sweetness. If you take it slow with small sips, you can taste the nice fruit.
I will not rate this wine at this point. It's obviously still a baby and needs to grow up a little more. I will try this again in 1-2 years but my guess is that it will need at least another 3-4 years before being enjoyable.
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11/1/2011 - coremill wrote: 85 Points
This is shutdown/probably needed a long decant, which it didn't get. The really nice pure fruit this was showing 6-12 months ago is now hidden behind a wall of drying oak. I trust Ridge enough that this should come out fine on the other side, but let this one sit for a while.
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10/28/2011 - Drink&Trade wrote: 90 Points
Could use even more time in the bottle. Big bold fruit. Silky body. A bit hot on the alcohol. Good weight.
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10/26/2011 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
I've mistakenly thought Ridge was best at Zin, but this won me over for this vintage/blend. Sadly, I have only one left, but will look for more as it was a steal at $20 at a LWS (out of business now). Lots of dark fruit/cherry and woodsy/tobacco on the nose. Reminded me of Haven's Bourriquot in its' Bordeaux-like blend. Fairly long, enjoyable finish. Can I hold off (and live long enough) to wait at least 5 years to open the only one left in my cellar?
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10/3/2011 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lively, racy cab with solid bright red fruit notes and a backbone of acidity. Medium bodied. Integrated tannins.
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9/29/2011 - cos82 wrote: 90 Points
Not a detailed tasting note, since I was busy cooking and serving holiday dinner at home for 24 people. Among several CA cabs I cracked open, and it was the best of what I got to try. Popped and poured. Black cherry in color. Can't recall the nose, but very nice on the palate and surprised me as to how ready it was to drink. No tannin. Smooth as silk and nice black fruits, cassis and a hint of leather. Just plain tasty.
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9/24/2011 - Matt Scott wrote: 92 Points
See previous notes. Shimmering and spicy; love the Asian spice,cherry and blackberry that is more evident. For the Claret lovers. Decant..... Drink 2012 - 2020.
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9/21/2011 - rhanke wrote:
good
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9/3/2011 - jmht wrote: 90 Points
Similar to prior TN-- big black cherry, tobacco, dark red fruits, but picked up some graphite this time that I missed previously. Delicious now, probably will be better in 5 years if I can keep my hands off.
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8/28/2011 - BailliSacks wrote: 85 Points
A bit disappointing. Hot and simple.
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7/28/2011 - wormfarmer wrote: 89 Points
Had this after two Morgons, and after dinner was done -- simply because someone had brought up Ridge and I thought I'd bring one out -- I think others liked it, but I'm still chasing the first time I tried the "baby bello," cuz this didn't do it for me, again. I think some bottle age could make this one fun. It's not overly hot, or unbalanced, it just seems like it has some strength to it that doesn't know where to go just yet.
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7/14/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Ridge Tasting: A last year top ten wine of the year and at the price of $30 one of the best Cab/Merlot blends on the market. Cassis, spice, leather, chocolate and earth. On the palate and finish a nice mineral note. Good acidity and well balanced wine. This is drinking really well right now or hold for a few years.
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7/12/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Ridge Tasting: Current Releases (Wine Co., St. Paul, MN): Dark red color. A blend of 58% Cab and 42% Merlot sourced from the Monte Bello Vineyard. Expressive, rich nose of creme de cassis, plum, spices, and subtle cedar. The palate is caressing with black fruits of cassis, plum, and cherry, cedar, earth, and a long finish. Lovely wine and an excellent QPR . My WOTN.
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6/9/2011 - jamieirving wrote: 92 Points
Made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot from the Santa Cruz Mountains this rather subtle wine comes in at a tad over 13% alcohol. Deep purple in colour, I found blackcurrant, cassis and sweet cherry aromas on the nose. The palate is well balanced. Ripe red berry fruit, tobacco and chewy tannins on the finish.
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6/3/2011 - Matt Scott wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for one hour. A deep and dark ruby core, with a lighter rim. Blackberry, cherry, mint, pencil lead and black pepper nose, with evident mint, stone and berry on the palate. Long, seductive and balanced - this is my style of California Bordeaux varietal wine. Soft and noticeable tannins, with a satisfying finish. An outstanding "Second-Wine" from Monte Bello's younger vines. You can tell that the '07 Monte Bello will be mesmerizing. Drink 2012 - 2021. (2295 views)
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6/2/2011 - Matt Scott wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for one hour. A deep and dark ruby core, with a lighter rim. Blackberry, mint, pencil lead and black pepper nose, with evident mint, stone and berry on the palate. Long, seductive and balanced - this is my style of California Bordeaux varietal wine. Soft and noticeable tannins, with a satisfying finish. An outstanding "Second-Wine" from Monte Bello's younger vines. You can tell that the '07 Monte Bello will be mesmerizing. Drink 2012 - 2021.
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5/29/2011 - spacewrangler wrote:
I'd hesitate to open these just b/c so much potential exists in the future. Very plummy, the Merlot plays a big role here in giving the wine a softer feel.
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5/27/2011 - brigcampbell wrote:
Ordered this in a restaurant otherwise I would be upset I opened to early. This is still a youngster. There certainly isn't anything wrong with the wine, in fact, its very nice with dark fruit, complexity, and nice finish. Perfect pairing for the steak. But there is a monster hiding underneath the firm tannins a time will reward all who wait.
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5/7/2011 - ews3 wrote: 92 Points
2011 Philadelphia Wine Festival (Marriott, Philadelphia PA): extremely impressive. black fruit, coffee, plum. surprisingly tight and tannic with robust acid profile -- will age well. added to my wishlist.
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4/30/2011 - wormfarmer wrote: 87 Points
Popped and poured, nowhere near as delightful this time around. Much more conventional-seeming, with a fuller body and none of the knife-edge I remember from earlier in the week. Seemed nice right out of the bottle, with some toasty cocoa notes -- but then it settled into a kind of bland, bitter cherry sort of place. We finished the bottle -- nothing offensive here -- but it wasn't a discussion-starter.
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4/29/2011 - wormfarmer wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 24 hours at Solano Cellars, held up really nicely. Struck me as surprisingly light-medium bodied at first (i.e., surprising even for its 13%abv), but as the glass wound down it seemed fuller, more thoroughly medium. Looking forward to my own bottles.
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4/12/2011 - Metanoia wrote:
Can't rate yet - opened way too young, even the second day it was hard to tell what was going on. Stiff tannins and plenty of acidity to go the long haul. Try again in 2 years.
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4/11/2011 - coremill wrote: flawed
I think this bottle may have been slightly corked. It wasn't nearly as good as the last time I tasted it, and it had a touch of musty cardboard in both aroma and flavors. That said, the wine wasn't bad. Cassis, herbs, drying tannin. But it lacked the purity of fruit expression I remembered, and the cardboard got worse with air rather than blowing off (a telltale sign of TCA). If I were scoring, I'd say this was about 85-86, rather than the 90-91 it probably should have been.
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4/6/2011 - gorm wrote: 90 Points
consistent note
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4/2/2011 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:
A bit hot, tastes hotter than its 13.8%. Good full body, structure and balance (apart from the heat). Reminiscent of a right bank bordeaux (but different, of course).
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3/31/2011 - MattTM wrote:
Wine Festival Tasting Room, quick notes. Great nose of rich dark cherry, plum, coffee, and tar. A touch lighter than I was expecting compared to the nose, but showing rich dark cherry, dark plum, blackberry, and coffee bean. Very nice.
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3/27/2011 - miller3324 wrote:
Decanted one hour. Old school style with crisp acidity and bright red fruits. Improved with air, as tannins receded leaving a silky mouthfeel. Should certainly improve with some cellar time.
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3/25/2011 - Biggsy wrote: 90 Points
Glossy ruby with a dark inky core. Classic "claret nose" of blackcurrant, graphite and a touch of barrel toast. Forward and already very drinkable with well balanced silky tannins and lush, fresh fruit. Fully flavoured with notes of cassis, cedar and toasted oak on the finish. Lovely.
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3/23/2011 - askoje wrote: 91 Points
Deep dark red color. Blackcurrant, espresso, minerals and vanilla on the nose. Very nice and complex. Firm tannins, beautiful structure and nice length on the finish
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3/22/2011 - dustbuddy wrote: 87 Points
Tasted as part of a Sampler tasting. A brambly, garrigue nose followed by a tannic palate. The finish hinted of blackcurrant but was disappointing short. Uncertain prospects in my view.
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3/21/2011 - cabdrinker wrote:
Real nice!!! Loaded nose of black fruit, hint of floral and herbs. Lush, velvety mouthfeel that just coats the palate with the black fruit and cassis.Just a slight tannic backbone with the finish but also includes a little acidity as the finish lingers.
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3/18/2011 - Gestalted wrote: 92 Points
I was surprised how much I liked this wine. Almost equal parts Cab-Merlot and 13% alcohol to boot, this wine had the classic Santa Cruz Mtns dose of herbal/medicinal on the nose and all throughout the finish however, very juicy blackberry and a lingering finish. Don't be afraid of the herbal qualities mentioned as it's very positively integrated with the fruit and you get this burly intensity found in wines like the infamous Kathryn Kennedy Estate or even Monte Bello. If I hadn't seen the 13% alcohol on the label, I wouldn't have believed it from the flavors and texture. Followers of old school Bordeaux will love this wine. It tastes like what the most expensive Bordeaux try to aim for, however this has more flavor and complexity.
--
Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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3/10/2011 - winegr wrote: 91 Points
Lots of ripe fruit, almost too much for me, but it is so balanced by some licorice, earth and nice acidity that it works well. Elegant and very nice. Definitely more of a throwback to older style wines. Not a lot of upside though.
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3/6/2011 - kosinski wrote:
Fragrant fruity nose. Raspberry and leather flavors but tannins need to mellow. Try again in 2012.
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2/28/2011 - rschoemehl Likes this wine: 89 Points
big, full bodied. heavy tannin, that mellowed a little on day two. Some tobacco and coffee on the palate. medium length finish.
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2/24/2011 - aagrawal Likes this wine: 89 Points
K&L Ridge Tasting (San Francisco): Really nice black fruits, pretty ripe. Hint of herbal component. Tannic on the front end with a sweet finish, nice good clean acidity at the end but a bit flabby in the front and middle (with the flavors, not the texture). Would cellar for 1-3 yrs before trying again.
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2/14/2011 - redknife wrote: 90 Points
Tannic with potential to improve. Give it at least 3 more years
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2/6/2011 - jmht wrote: 90 Points
Big black cherry and tobacco on the nose; big black cherry and dark red fruits on the palate, earth, restrained by California cab standards. I see another taster compared it to Fogarty... and an interesting comparison-- I last tasted Fogarty 97 cab about 2003 and recall it similar, although Fogarty was much much bigger fruit. I suspect it will gain complexity with cellar time, given its balance.
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1/31/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Glunz Grand Tasting (Union League Club of Chicago): Green bell pepper. Really cool savory aromatics. Unique.
Nice acidity on the back end. There's also nice grip in the finish that I enjoy.
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1/23/2011 - Drink&Trade wrote: 89 Points
Big fruit nose. Continues on the palate. Sweet and fruity. Actually went well with dark chocolate. Not complex, but a nice smooth wine. Tannins are well integrated.
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1/23/2011 - madeiradog wrote: 92 Points
Really great bottle to drink now. Sure it is young but has a great balance of fruit, acidity and tannins. Plus, I find that SC bottlings lose their fruit if you hold them too long (more than 15 yrs ). Can't wait to try the '07 Monte Bello if this is any indication of how good that wine will be.
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1/15/2011 - cab wrote:
I enjoyed this, but I don't quite have the enthusiasm that prior reviewers and my wife have had. Not my style, true, but there are a lot of other Ridge wines that I have enjoyed with less reservation despite my old world inclinations. At first there was way too much vanilla but that calmed down and it was a typically balanced, drinkable Ridge. Mild tobacco and chocolate. Not overwhelming tannins, but enough. But for $30+ I'm looking for a little more subtlety and complexity.
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1/2/2011 - gorm wrote: 90 Points
Soft dark fruit with enough cabernet character to give it some distiction. Very nice.
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12/28/2010 - gorm wrote: 90 Points
Classy, wonderful.
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12/22/2010 - Drink&Trade wrote: 90 Points
Big and Bold for a Cab/Merlot blend. Berries and tobacco on the nose. A bit of alcohol still on the pop and pour. Big fruit, cherries and plum. Tannins are big. Giving this another 6 to 12 months before trying again. With that said, I like it.
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12/15/2010 - Tubulus wrote: 91 Points
Drinking great. Awesome mix of fruit, earth, and very soft tannins.
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12/10/2010 - Matteo's wrote: 90 Points
Big cab with nice acidity and spice!
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12/4/2010 - rrush wrote: 90 Points
This wine made me say WOW after my my first sip. Took me back to my long experience with Fogarty Cabs. Unlike Napa cabs, Santa Cruz wines do not seem to acheive the same ripeness, and so the wines develop differently. This wine is not overly concentrated as so many wines seem to be.
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11/23/2010 - kstoddard wrote: 89 Points
Dark ruby color. Bing cherry nose. Tastes of blackberry, cherry, and earth. Well balanced. Firm tannins. Long finish with some depth and elegance.
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11/18/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club does a Blind Tasting: A sleeper wine and now a top ten of the year for me. It was interesting that in a blind tasting of eight wines this was the lowest pro rated wine by quite a bit. Blind it was the group's favorite wine of the night. Firm tannins but the wine shows cherry, blackberries, coffee and spice on the nose and palate. The finish is medium and has a nice earthy quality. I was surprised how expressive the wine was and it dominated the 2007 Andrew Will Sorella in quality at this stage of the game.
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11/12/2010 - miller3324 wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. Dark opaque color. Merlot is evident but blended perfectly with the cab. Velvety mouthfeel and medium tannins made this wine great now, but hopefully only a shell of what it will become.
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11/11/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 91 Points
California Cab Tasting, USQ Wines; 11/10/2010-11/12/2010 (New York): Has an open, slightly raisiny character to the fruit, plus acidity that tickles the nose slightly with a leafy, almost pickled bell pepper hint that lends interest without being a flaw. Fairly full on the palate, slightly peppery - a very classic feel overall to the palate. Perhaps the best value of the tasting tonight. 91+
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11/10/2010 - hubas wrote: 90 Points
Dark red. A lot of nice red berries but also some darker deeper flavors. A lot of taste balanced with good acidity A lovely wine.
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10/30/2010 - MCUBEB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank it over two days and it showed based on the second day. Dusty aromas of mushrooms and earth. Nice balance of red and black fruit backed by chewy tannins and bright acidity. Notes of tobacco, earth and cherry vanilla complement the finish.
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9/4/2010 - Steve Brickley Likes this wine: 90 Points
A pleasant cab merlot blend somewhat approachable now, but could use at least four years cellaring. Purple; chalky, tanic, Monte Bello fruit comes through.
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8/29/2010 - monkeylug wrote: 90 Points
Not as good as I remember. A bit disappointing.
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8/15/2010 - grossie wrote: 90 Points
Note from 72 hours after opening bottle, it was vacu-vinned and put in fridge. Yummy mountain fruit with a dark serious side and a long smooth finish. The first night showed a lot of tannin and a slight green quality, but now the tannin has resolved and there is no hint of green, and even after 72 hours this wine is still quite alive. I think this has some very good potential to shine but could use about 5 years.
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8/6/2010 - jrobs7777 wrote: 88 Points
California Wine Tasting Adventure; 8/2/2010-8/6/2010 (Napa, Sonoma): Tasted at the winery. A very "red" Cabernet with good acidity. Raspberry and red currant on the nose with some hints of vanilla. Not your typical California Cabernet on the palate. Closer to Bordeaux style? More subtle and reticent on the palate, with acidity. Red fruit framed by oak. Lacked some depth and complexity. This is nice and can offer good value for those who like the Ridge style but not the Monte Bello price tag. Same vineyard as the Monte Bello, but the 2nd tier fruit.
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7/28/2010 - nzinkgraf wrote:
taut blackberry fruit in the nose. the spiced nature of the aroma of pipe tobacco. the palate is really where the mineral component shines. very vibrant, and playful acidity. the finish is rather framed by the structure of this wine. tannin grips a bit at the finish. BUY and try in 6 months. there is a skin to the fruit of the nose. not waxy, but an expanse before the fruit registers.
DAY 2, next to 07 Cliff Lede Stags Leap Cab and 06 Poetry. today this shows plumier fruit on the nose. downwind from raisination (this subsides as it opens up in my glass.) and much more plump tonight. seemingly old worldy. gravel powder and a bit ashen. All the same, shows lighter body than either Cliff Lede wine.
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7/25/2010 - jamieirving wrote: 90 Points
Made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot from the Santa Cruz Mountains this rather subtle wine comes in at a tad over 13% alcohol. Pretty good for the "new world". Deep purple in colour, I found blackcurrant, cassis and sweet cherry aromas on the nose. The palate is well balanced. Ripe red berry fruit, tobacco and chewy tannins on the finish.
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7/16/2010 - TheEngineer wrote: 89 Points
This one was a bit crunchier than the Monte Bello. In isolation a very good wine, with some spices, nice balance, a bit reserved but good balance.
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7/8/2010 - jamieirving wrote: 90 Points
Made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot from the Santa Cruz Mountains this rather subtle wine comes in at a tad over 13% alcohol. Pretty good for the "new world". Deep purple in colour, I found blackcurrant, cassis and sweet cherry aromas on the nose. The palate is well balanced. Ripe red berry fruit, tobacco and chewy tannins on the finish.
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6/16/2010 - Delli wrote: 89 Points
Deep red. Strong fruit tones on the nose. Smooth taste with a nice finsh. I had the wine pared with well marbelled rib eye and the combination was fantastic.
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6/5/2010 - soyhead wrote: 87 Points
58% cab 42% merlot - gets the younger fruit whereas the montebello gets the older vine fruit.
nose - dark berry
mouth - tight and tannic. good acidity. good sour fruit. i can see potential.
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5/31/2010 - pian0_player wrote: 92 Points
Impressive wine. The only Ca wine I have tasted that could truly pass for Bordeaux. It tastes like a solid pauillac or St Julien. it has that Bordeaux perfume and earthiness. A bit thinner on the palate than I expected, but elegant and polished. I wish more producers in CA were making wines like this. Excellent and a great buy at $30.
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5/6/2010 - yhn wrote: 93 Points
Nose - warm, savory, intense black currant, cedar, smoke, red currant, wild berries, nutmeg and dark spices.
Earthy dusty black currant, grippy, tight, ashy smoke, wild berries, waxy pith, peppery.
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4/27/2010 - WetRock wrote:
Decanted and drank over two nights. Tightly wound this really seems much more classic in profile for young Bordeaux varieties than even the 06 does. Lean and wrapped up some but still some classic cigar, cassis, plum and cedar notes. The Merlot doesn't seem as forward as the 06 either and the tannins come on late and stronger on night two. Good balance and length. I would think this is what people call somewhat 'backwards' and really in need of time. This should go a long ways and pay off handsomely. Such a bargain for those of us who like classically styled Cabs and Bordeaux blends. (58% Cab/42% Merlot)
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4/6/2010 - hutch wrote: 90 Points
Tasting with Ridge Wines (Conference room): Gorgeous blackberry fruit. A little dustiness. Well balanced, pretty delicious bordeaux blend.
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3/20/2010 - winebratsf wrote:
a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot. It is not yet released, and was quite chewy and dense with scents of lavender and leather. The 2006 is 56% Cabernet, 42% Merlot, and 2% Petite Verdot, and had coffee notes adn an herbaceousness that the 2007 did not.
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3/18/2010 - yhn wrote: 92 Points
Nose - classic SCM Cab, and forward proper Merlot fruit, lots of black currant, youthful, pepper, vanilla, golden beet, hint of green peppercorn. Cedar shows with time. Coal, blackberry.
Lighter body, black currant and cedar, Merlot, lime zest, hint of tobacco. Drink '17-'37.
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1/30/2010 - cliffkol wrote: 88 Points
Crown Wine Project Newborn Tasting (Hollywood, FL): (Doris 85)
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