Solid Cabernet, to be expected from Ridge. Dark fruit, American oak, and a hint of olive with good acidity. Tannins are present and grippy but not overpowering. This was a good showing and certainly approachable now, but it does seem to have the stuffing to develop nicely in bottle.
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From 375. Dark color. American oak and sweet fruit on the nose. In this format, it's drinking well. Still tannin that stood up well to pan seared rib cap. For me the oak at this point is a pleasurable (dare I say hedonistic) component complementing the (dare I say hedonistic) fruit. Excellent balance. Not the style of wine I usually drink, but excellent with the steak, and (dare I say) I should drink more like this.
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I found a case of this in my cellar, took a bottle to a bbq party. Opened it, found the nose quite intense, pungent, heavy oaked-smoky. It is seriously massive, inky, tannic in the mouth. It's far too young to drink. It needs time for the oak to settle down, too. It was far too oaky for me-and much like the wines I have tasted from 2020 vintage with "forest-fire" smoke.
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Fantastic santa cruz cab. It is voluptuous, truffled, minty cassis and even some lilacs. Starting to sense some fresh tobacco. Had next to a Ducru Beaucaillou 2010 and it stood its ground. It didn't come across as too hot in comparison to the St Julien but the balance of the Ducru was in a different league.
Really nice. Mountain cab fruit with enticing iron and black olive notes. Dense with good acidity and strong tannic backbone. Upside. Next bottle in about two years.
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[decanted 6+ hours] Rich dark berries, cassis, violets, sweet coconut shavings, toasted nuts, savoury bramble and undergrowth, bright green stems, graphite & pencil shavings, juicy and clean. Layered, textural, nuanced, balanced on the lean side, yet concentration and power. Not a wall of purple! Excellent stuff and I imagine will continue developing beautifully over the next decade or so. Thanks Jeffery!
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The 2017 Ridge Estate Cab displays gorgeous aromas of violets, black plum, blackberry, cassis, red cherry, vanilla, and graphite. The palate hasn't caught up to the nose: it's leaner on flavor and a bit out of balance at the moment, with high acid and tannin levels overwhelming the fruit. That shouldn't discourage anyone from buying this wine—it has tons of potential and is a steal at its price point—but it is to say that manipulation (double decanting, multiple hours of air, glass swirling) isn't enough to bring out its best... yet. Cellar at least two more years and drink through 2035.
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My first try of this "second wine" of the Monte Bello, needed some great stuff to pair hearty food, as Germany is hit from some late winter foothills......., like Ridge more or less the best from California, despite the for europeans quite high ABV, 14% here, never, never lacking this stunning elegant flow, same here, stunning nose, full load of ripe, fresh cassis and forest berry, firm, fresh grip intially, great minerality showing, some pencil lead, the black fruit that refreshing, my iberico pork chops on the plate are dancing the Paso Doble and Flamenco, great pairing, the tannin is buffering the cream sauce of the pasta perfectly,long+ finish, very young showing still, will improve by further cellaring, **(*-****), around 92(+) potential
On day two more of its mineral core is revealed! Great showing, great structure, highly recommended!
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Wow, what a great wine. Starts with red berries but pretty quickly moves on to minerals (iron!) and an almost bloody aftertaste. Amazing new world Bordeaux.
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Deilig duft og smak av søte, mørke bær, blåbær, mørke plommer, vanilje. Fin syre, relativt moderate tanniner etter et par timer lufting. Fin nå, trolig enda bedre om noen år.
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Tasted after 1.5 hour decant. Surprisingly purple in color. Nose of dark cherry, black currant, blackberry, purple flowers, pencil shavings and dill. Palate is similar with some vanilla. Medium+ body, medium+ acidity and some drying tannins on the fairly long, aromatic finish. Has years to go till peak. 90-91.
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Dark, dark ruby - purple like. I get a lot of dark fruit - black cherry, blueberry and blackberry on the nose, along with some sweetness, like vanilla and cocoa. On the palette, it's full bodied with distinct tannins. The tannins open up quickly. As it opens I get more balance between fruit, acidity and cola. Full disclosure, as we are Ridge members, I enjoy nearly all of their wines.
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Touted as a cab, but really a Bordeaux-style blend. A very nice expression with classic leather, tobacco, and cedar notes. Well balanced, moderate tannin.
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Decanted for an hour. Black cherry, mocha, Crown flower, char siu, ground rock and flower shop. There a vein of pencil lead all through. Finishes long and the tannins are both grainy and angular. Over time this of course opens up and represents. Deserving of the cellar and any glass. Medium-to full-bodied goodness. Drink 2022 - 2032.
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Decanted for an hour. Love the deep, luxurious purple color. Not too dark, not too light. Rich nose. Forrest floor after a light rain. Stewed strawberry and blueberry with Coke? Palate hits hard with dark fruit and mocha, but with a restrained acidity and respectful tannin. A Cab that drinks older than it is. Wise in its years. A dark Cab that doesn't know it. Throw it back now or wait for 30 years.
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Fairly flat and limited complexity. Finish was shorter than I expected. Big fan of Ridge wines in general, but this Cab was very average and overpriced.
Dark red medium light body wine (14%). Nice black berry fruit a hint of spice. Average finish. Based on being a Ridge wine and scoring I was expecting better wine. Perhaps I did not let it open enough.
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Black fruit, blue fruit, cedar, cassis, toasted oak, herbal notes finish with some tannins. Typical the estate you drink while the Monto Bello rests and ages. Sometimes this is call baby Bello. However, this is a big wine and needs time in the bottle. A (93-94)
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Small taste at the winery in Cupertino. Classic California Cabernet. Not quite the density and concentration of 2010 Monte Bello tasted next to it, but not too far off either. Bought a couple bottles for 10-15 year cellar.
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Ridge Lytton Springs Tasting: Ridge Estate Cabernets pose a dilemma: they're beautiful wines that need several years post-release to drink their best, but we just don't have the cellar space to age $59 bottles. Sigh.
Today, the 2017 is a bit closed, but its ample tannins already offer a velvety texture. Mountain flavors abound: dark purple and red fruits, cocoa, cigar box, spice and oak. I'm really looking forward to revisiting this in 2-5 years and expect it to evolve nicely for another 10-15.
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Agree with other notes here- benefits from a few hours decant, strong fruit flavors, bright acidity and a good dose of oak that will likely mellow. I like it.
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decanted this for a few hours, opens up with scents of blueberry, cherry and cedar, concentrated fruit upfront with a spine of tangy acid to carry it away, shows dark plum, cherry, blackberry, cassis and graphite on the palate, smooth, needs a nice decant now
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Opened 2 hours. Color is deep red/purple. On the nose: Plum , dark chocolate, graphite. On the palate: Rich plums, cassis, dark chocolate and a touch of green olive. Finish has nice length. While it’s not Monte Bello it is really a nice wine. Very elegant. I think age will help it.
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Fruit is very forward but unbalanced. Tannins are present but less chewy than expected. Acid and alcohol are high. This vintage at this moment needs to find it's balance and that will take time. As the producers notes say, the wine is approachable but I wouldn't approach it again for at least 5 years.
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Popped, poured a glass, then drank an hour later. Very solid classic California Cabernet, enjoyed it highly. Very red and dark fruited on the nose, so much so I was worried that the wine would be overripe or too sweet. Instead the palate was dark, dry, savory, well balanced and a fine complement to food. Some tannins, sure, but this is a wine that can be enjoyed right now. Or age it and it will be good for a decad. Not extremely complex but great for the price.
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Decanted for an hour, benefits from a larger Cabernet Sauvignon glass. After about 75 minutes there's a lot of lovely blue and black fruit and berries here. Strong tannins, medium acidity. This wine reminds me of a few other, far more expensive wines (Quilceda Creek, for example). Love it.
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Decanted for an hour. Cooling blue and red fruits, ripe Italian plums and raspberries. Cedar and oak woods. Subtle backend blueberry and cassis flavors. Intense tannins, seems like this wine could age for 10+ years and still taste freshly bottled. I like this style: smooth, complex, no trace of heat. Will benefit from 1-2 hours of decanting right now.
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Nose: beautiful scents of plum, cassis, blueberry, sage, loamy earth and spice. Palate: dense structured entry with dark fruit, sage/herb and American oak. Spices, cedar and clove show up as it opens. Well delineated and not at all hot. Finish: dark fruit and a burst of herbs at this point.
Needs a long sleep, but promising. Oak is very distinctive and noticeable right now. Let it integrate and there is significant upside.
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Tasted at the winery in Cupertino. Nose and tastes of dusty black fruits and candied sugar. The palate had a slight sour bite on the back end. The wine felt very unbalanced and disjointed to me with an alcoholic burn on the throat and much lighter tannins that some of the Ridge Zins we tried that day. Hopefully, the wine will come together with several more years in the bottle but I was not a fan of how it was drinking that particular day.
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Drank over 2 days. Baby Monte Bello with less tannins and definitely made for drinking sooner. Classic estate Ridge. This was best when allowed to breathe in glass for 3-4 hours. Will be tasting a bottle every 2 years and I have 3 left.
Color: dark ruby, purple streaks Nose: dark fruit and tomato concentrate. Tons of vanilla and oak, bit of spices like clove. Black pepper Palate: medium acidity, medium tannins that do grip at first. I get mostly dark fruit and black pepper along with vanilla and toffee and oak. Finish: long
Love the bold tannins, oak is mellow and smooth in a way that you meet in bourbon. I am guessing this will be ready in 5-7 years, a bit off-balance now.
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Initially there are noticeable amount of oak which better integrated over time in the decanter. Apart from that there are notes of earthy minerality, red and dark fruits which were counter balanced with well pitched acid and fine tannins. Although the fruit was lovely in my opinion the acid and tannin structural framework of the wine was the star.
As more time in the decanter passed I felt I got more blue fruit profile that came out as well which worked well overall. The wine works alone but for me felt it would excel even more with food at its current stage. My only gripe at its current stage is the oak is a little more apparent than I would like but with time there should be no problem since the oak will most likely integrate beautifully.
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I first tasted this wine on 4/2/20. The wine on that day was from a 750 and it was shipped 2 day mail and received on 3/31/20. My original review notes the possibility of some potential bottle shock due to the quick turnaround time. I don't know if bottle shock was at play but the bottle I drank on 8/21/20 showed much better than the bottle on 4/2/20. However, there are a few differences to note between the 2 tastings.
4/2/20 tasting was from a 750. It was only in my Eurocave at 55 degrees for 2 days. The bottle was decanted for approximately 2 hours. It was consumed out of a Riedel SOMM Bordeaux glass.
8/21/20 tasting was from a 375. It sat at 55 degrees in the Eurocave for a few months. The bottle was decanted the same amount of time, approximately 2 hours. Final twist between the two tastings, the glass used was a Conterno Sensory which is advertised to be used with almost all wine varietals but it was designed and intended to be used with Barolo and Pinot Noir styled wines. However, it is also suggested for young Bordeaux, which is why I decided to switch up the glass on this tasting.
The wine showed much better on the second go around. It was more relaxed and not as wound up as it was the first time. There were more aromas this time. There were good scents of spices. The flavors were of black cherries, blackberries and red cherry. There appeared to be the added presence of red fruits this time, which may be due to the glass. There was a sweet tannin flavor, which I have noticed recently in several Ridge wines I've drank. I'm not sure if this is due to American Oak but it is a distinct taste of Ridge for me. The tannins were medium plus but they became more pronounced the longer the wine was in prolonged contact with air. There was good acidity (medium plus). It was just a bit tart.
I enjoyed this wine much more than I did a few months ago. It has plenty of room to improve over the next decade but if you have the itch to open this bottle young, then a long decant will serve you and the wine well. I had no intentions of opening this bottle as early as I did after my first experience but I only wanted to open a 375 and this bottle was front and center. I'm glad I grabbed it against my better judgment. Enjoy!
Elemental nose of blackberries, violets, dark chocolate, with a whisper of oak. Dark aromatic salty fruit on the palate, with tremendous verve, sweet and sour framing, lovely sweet aromatic tannins emerging at the back on the move into the winding tannic acid finish. Perfect with Kobe beef hamburgers with pickled jalapenos and home made mayonaisse.
Thick and rich. Blueberry, cassis, anise, blackberry aromas and flavors. Currently this is all overwhelmed by the oak. Needs several years to calm down and integrate.
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First time trying Ridge. American oak is immediately apparent on the nose, which I did not know beforehand. After a bit of air, the oak gives way (a bit) to cassis and cherry. The palate is cherry, currant with loads of acidity and chewy tannin. Not sure whether the fruit survive long enough for the wine to mellow. An enjoyable contrast in style nonetheless.
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Didn’t want to open this, but we were cooking steaks and didn’t plan ahead. I think these usually need 7+ years from the vintage date to start showing well. This is showing well at the moment, but it is classically styled and I think it’s going to shut down soon.
The nose presented great perfumed cassis and blueberry with hints of cedar and dill from the oak. The acidity is elevated enough to provide good sparkle through the finish which is filled with abundant yet finely structured tannins which linger past the fruit.
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Surprisingly full body Cabernet that drinks so well this young. Medium body wine (14%) with a pleasing nose. Very nice fruit with high promise to improve with age. Pleasant finish with a hint of tannin. A high value purchase.
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Enjoyed the 2017 Estate Cab during the Ridge Winemaker Virtual Tasting hosted by winemaker Eric Baugher on 4/2/20. What a great way to escape for 1 hour during a Nationwide quarantine! The wines for this event included: 2017 Estate Cab; 2017 Klein Cab; 2017 Perrone Merlot and 2018 Estate Chardonnay. I ordered and received, with 2 day free shipping, the Estate Cab and the Estate Chardonnay on the morning of the Virtual Tasting.
The 2017 Estate Cab is made up of 75% Cab Sauv, 21% Merlot, 3% Cab Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It resembles a classic left bank Bordeaux. The wine is intended to be enjoyed now. However, I disagree and believe that it will show better in several years.
The wine was decanted for approximately 2 hours. The nose was not very floral and a bit muted. It is young and possibly a little shutdown from traveling across the Country the past 2 days or from being bottled on 5/2019 (I believe). The color was purple but not a really deep dark purple. It was tight, had significant tannins and high acidity, almost a little tart. There were flavors of darker fruits, black cherry, and leather. After approximately 5+ hours of air, the tannins began to relax and were a little softer/smoother. The fruit became a little plusher and smoother on the palate. The body was medium to full, the finish was somewhere between medium and long. It was not overly extracted. The wine is intended to be enjoyed now and over the next 10 years. I suggest waiting at least 2-3 years and even then utilize a good decant.
Today, the wine is a 91+. It has the potential to be 93-94 but it needs time.
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Pnp, much richer nose than the 16s, dark cab fruit, milk chocolate, spice, evident oak, good intensity. Palate is tight, balanced, good acid, firm tannin, lots of structure here, pencil lead, blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, good purity of fruit, lengthy finish. Very good now and will easily go 10 years with some ponential upside down the road 92+
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Blackberries on the nose with some smoked meat and caramelized brown sugar. Palate is full of cherry, a little cranberry, and some other lighter red fruits, but they seemed to disappear quickly. Moderately tannic as well. Young at this stage and somewhat unsettled. It seemed a little delicate for such a young wine. I was expecting a little more, but it could simply just be shut down at this stage. I would wait a few years to let the flavors come out a bit more, but has potential for improvement.
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4/28/2024 - Bgropp4 wrote: 91 Points
Solid Cabernet, to be expected from Ridge. Dark fruit, American oak, and a hint of olive with good acidity. Tannins are present and grippy but not overpowering. This was a good showing and certainly approachable now, but it does seem to have the stuffing to develop nicely in bottle.
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2/24/2024 - JayBeeDub wrote:
Still too young. Best glasses were the last few after 6-8 hours in the decanter.
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2/17/2024 - cweiss Likes this wine:
From 375. Dark color. American oak and sweet fruit on the nose. In this format, it's drinking well. Still tannin that stood up well to pan seared rib cap. For me the oak at this point is a pleasurable (dare I say hedonistic) component complementing the (dare I say hedonistic) fruit. Excellent balance. Not the style of wine I usually drink, but excellent with the steak, and (dare I say) I should drink more like this.
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12/17/2023 - Chair Likes this wine: 90 Points
An uncompromising Cali Cab. Oaked and tannic. Very much to my taste, and to my mind now entering its drinking period.
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12/14/2023 - Renzloh Likes this wine: 91 Points
Agree with others, seems young.
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11/18/2023 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 92 Points
About 10-15 years ago I got into Ridge Zinfandel’s and never realized they make a damn good Cabernet as well. Perfect match with grilled NY Strips.
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11/5/2023 - cabernetlover wrote: 90 Points
I found a case of this in my cellar, took a bottle to a bbq party. Opened it, found the nose quite intense, pungent, heavy oaked-smoky. It is seriously massive, inky, tannic in the mouth. It's far too young to drink. It needs time for the oak to settle down, too. It was far too oaky for me-and much like the wines I have tasted from 2020 vintage with "forest-fire" smoke.
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6/15/2023 - racerchris Likes this wine: 92 Points
I enjoyed this. Balanced and complex. Not too young.
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5/8/2023 - Eriklainen wrote:
Fantastic santa cruz cab. It is voluptuous, truffled, minty cassis and even some lilacs. Starting to sense some fresh tobacco. Had next to a Ducru Beaucaillou 2010 and it stood its ground. It didn't come across as too hot in comparison to the St Julien but the balance of the Ducru was in a different league.
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3/4/2023 - matters.of.wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very young, with lots of potential. The American oak is noticeable on the nose. Firm structure.
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1/16/2023 - WineSauvy wrote: 92 Points
Concentrated and rich red fruit flavour. Silky refined tanins. Sophisticated nose
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12/18/2022 - derrock Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really nice. Mountain cab fruit with enticing iron and black olive notes. Dense with good acidity and strong tannic backbone. Upside. Next bottle in about two years.
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11/30/2022 - JerM wrote: 93 Points
[decanted 6+ hours] Rich dark berries, cassis, violets, sweet coconut shavings, toasted nuts, savoury bramble and undergrowth, bright green stems, graphite & pencil shavings, juicy and clean. Layered, textural, nuanced, balanced on the lean side, yet concentration and power. Not a wall of purple! Excellent stuff and I imagine will continue developing beautifully over the next decade or so. Thanks Jeffery!
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11/13/2022 - rkww Likes this wine: 92 Points
The 2017 Ridge Estate Cab displays gorgeous aromas of violets, black plum, blackberry, cassis, red cherry, vanilla, and graphite. The palate hasn't caught up to the nose: it's leaner on flavor and a bit out of balance at the moment, with high acid and tannin levels overwhelming the fruit. That shouldn't discourage anyone from buying this wine—it has tons of potential and is a steal at its price point—but it is to say that manipulation (double decanting, multiple hours of air, glass swirling) isn't enough to bring out its best... yet. Cellar at least two more years and drink through 2035.
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9/5/2022 - David_K wrote: 92 Points
One of the more full-bodied renditions of this wine I can recall. A lot of material there. Needs to shed some baby fat. Good stuff.
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8/4/2022 - Bordeaux 2013 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanting helps a lot with this wine in the current stage.
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4/1/2022 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first try of this "second wine" of the Monte Bello,
needed some great stuff to pair hearty food, as Germany is hit from some late winter foothills.......,
like Ridge more or less the best from California, despite the for europeans quite high ABV, 14% here, never, never lacking this stunning elegant flow,
same here, stunning nose, full load of ripe, fresh cassis and forest berry,
firm, fresh grip intially, great minerality showing, some pencil lead, the black fruit that refreshing, my iberico pork chops on the plate are dancing the Paso Doble and Flamenco, great pairing, the tannin is buffering the cream sauce of the pasta perfectly,long+ finish,
very young showing still, will improve by further cellaring,
**(*-****), around 92(+) potential
On day two more of its mineral core is revealed!
Great showing, great structure, highly recommended!
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3/26/2022 - JohannesGlugla Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, what a great wine. Starts with red berries but pretty quickly moves on to minerals (iron!) and an almost bloody aftertaste.
Amazing new world Bordeaux.
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2/13/2022 - Marius W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deilig duft og smak av søte, mørke bær, blåbær, mørke plommer, vanilje. Fin syre, relativt moderate tanniner etter et par timer lufting. Fin nå, trolig enda bedre om noen år.
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1/24/2022 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same as prior note
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1/23/2022 - ralaspech wrote: 91 Points
Tasted after 1.5 hour decant. Surprisingly purple in color. Nose of dark cherry, black currant, blackberry, purple flowers, pencil shavings and dill. Palate is similar with some vanilla. Medium+ body, medium+ acidity and some drying tannins on the fairly long, aromatic finish. Has years to go till peak. 90-91.
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1/3/2022 - domco wrote:
Absolutely delicious and paired perfectly w/ C's beef stew. Dark cherry, a little vanilla and cedar, impeccable balance. Why didn't I buy more?!
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11/8/2021 - cclearningwine wrote: 91 Points
Dark, dark ruby - purple like. I get a lot of dark fruit - black cherry, blueberry and blackberry on the nose, along with some sweetness, like vanilla and cocoa. On the palette, it's full bodied with distinct tannins. The tannins open up quickly. As it opens I get more balance between fruit, acidity and cola. Full disclosure, as we are Ridge members, I enjoy nearly all of their wines.
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7/31/2021 - curtex Likes this wine: 91 Points
Touted as a cab, but really a Bordeaux-style blend. A very nice expression with classic leather, tobacco, and cedar notes. Well balanced, moderate tannin.
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7/2/2021 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour. Black cherry, mocha, Crown flower, char siu, ground rock and flower shop. There a vein of pencil lead all through. Finishes long and the tannins are both grainy and angular. Over time this of course opens up and represents. Deserving of the cellar and any glass. Medium-to full-bodied goodness. Drink 2022 - 2032.
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6/11/2021 - realstevebeam Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour.
Love the deep, luxurious purple color. Not too dark, not too light. Rich nose. Forrest floor after a light rain. Stewed strawberry and blueberry with Coke? Palate hits hard with dark fruit and mocha, but with a restrained acidity and respectful tannin. A Cab that drinks older than it is. Wise in its years. A dark Cab that doesn't know it. Throw it back now or wait for 30 years.
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5/8/2021 - CubFan4Life Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Fairly flat and limited complexity. Finish was shorter than I expected. Big fan of Ridge wines in general, but this Cab was very average and overpriced.
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4/16/2021 - MRichman wrote:
Very good. Light for a Cab. Good fine tannins, black acid, green pepper.
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3/29/2021 - bsumoba wrote:
A little shut down right now. No score.
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3/24/2021 - jmottern Likes this wine: 88 Points
Dark red medium light body wine (14%). Nice black berry fruit a hint of spice. Average finish. Based on being a Ridge wine and scoring I was expecting better wine. Perhaps I did not let it open enough.
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3/21/2021 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
Nose: 90 Palate: 89
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3/20/2021 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 93 Points
Black fruit, blue fruit, cedar, cassis, toasted oak, herbal notes finish with some tannins. Typical the estate you drink while the Monto Bello rests and ages. Sometimes this is call baby Bello. However, this is a big wine and needs time in the bottle. A (93-94)
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3/16/2021 - yasha Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two hours open. good
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3/3/2021 - signotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Small taste at the winery in Cupertino. Classic California Cabernet. Not quite the density and concentration of 2010 Monte Bello tasted next to it, but not too far off either. Bought a couple bottles for 10-15 year cellar.
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2/21/2021 - rkww Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ridge Lytton Springs Tasting: Ridge Estate Cabernets pose a dilemma: they're beautiful wines that need several years post-release to drink their best, but we just don't have the cellar space to age $59 bottles. Sigh.
Today, the 2017 is a bit closed, but its ample tannins already offer a velvety texture. Mountain flavors abound: dark purple and red fruits, cocoa, cigar box, spice and oak. I'm really looking forward to revisiting this in 2-5 years and expect it to evolve nicely for another 10-15.
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2/5/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Agree with other notes here- benefits from a few hours decant, strong fruit flavors, bright acidity and a good dose of oak that will likely mellow. I like it.
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1/21/2021 - FHAU wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple in color, blackberry and blueberry forward, full bodied, cassis and spice
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12/31/2020 - whits Likes this wine: 92 Points
decanted this for a few hours, opens up with scents of blueberry, cherry and cedar, concentrated fruit upfront with a spine of tangy acid to carry it away, shows dark plum, cherry, blackberry, cassis and graphite on the palate, smooth, needs a nice decant now
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12/27/2020 - derrock Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good, but really improves with significant air. Age.
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11/26/2020 - catowne1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs at least 3 more years to calm down a bit. But very good none the less.
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11/17/2020 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened 2 hours. Color is deep red/purple. On the nose: Plum , dark chocolate, graphite. On the palate: Rich plums, cassis, dark chocolate and a touch of green olive. Finish has nice length. While it’s not Monte Bello it is really a nice wine. Very elegant. I think age will help it.
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11/14/2020 - billcow wrote: 89 Points
Fruit is very forward but unbalanced. Tannins are present but less chewy than expected. Acid and alcohol are high. This vintage at this moment needs to find it's balance and that will take time. As the producers notes say, the wine is approachable but I wouldn't approach it again for at least 5 years.
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11/13/2020 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped, poured a glass, then drank an hour later. Very solid classic California Cabernet, enjoyed it highly. Very red and dark fruited on the nose, so much so I was worried that the wine would be overripe or too sweet. Instead the palate was dark, dry, savory, well balanced and a fine complement to food. Some tannins, sure, but this is a wine that can be enjoyed right now. Or age it and it will be good for a decad. Not extremely complex but great for the price.
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11/6/2020 - huevosconvino Likes this wine:
Decanted for an hour, benefits from a larger Cabernet Sauvignon glass. After about 75 minutes there's a lot of lovely blue and black fruit and berries here. Strong tannins, medium acidity. This wine reminds me of a few other, far more expensive wines (Quilceda Creek, for example). Love it.
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10/16/2020 - huevosconvino Likes this wine:
Decanted for an hour. Cooling blue and red fruits, ripe Italian plums and raspberries. Cedar and oak woods. Subtle backend blueberry and cassis flavors. Intense tannins, seems like this wine could age for 10+ years and still taste freshly bottled. I like this style: smooth, complex, no trace of heat. Will benefit from 1-2 hours of decanting right now.
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10/12/2020 - RockinCabs Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose: beautiful scents of plum, cassis, blueberry, sage, loamy earth and spice.
Palate: dense structured entry with dark fruit, sage/herb and American oak. Spices, cedar and clove show up as it opens. Well delineated and not at all hot.
Finish: dark fruit and a burst of herbs at this point.
Needs a long sleep, but promising. Oak is very distinctive and noticeable right now. Let it integrate and there is significant upside.
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10/8/2020 - K-Web24 wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at the winery in Cupertino. Nose and tastes of dusty black fruits and candied sugar. The palate had a slight sour bite on the back end. The wine felt very unbalanced and disjointed to me with an alcoholic burn on the throat and much lighter tannins that some of the Ridge Zins we tried that day. Hopefully, the wine will come together with several more years in the bottle but I was not a fan of how it was drinking that particular day.
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9/29/2020 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank over 2 days. Baby Monte Bello with less tannins and definitely made for drinking sooner. Classic estate Ridge.
This was best when allowed to breathe in glass for 3-4 hours.
Will be tasting a bottle every 2 years and I have 3 left.
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9/25/2020 - stet Likes this wine: 90 Points
Color: dark ruby, purple streaks
Nose: dark fruit and tomato concentrate. Tons of vanilla and oak, bit of spices like clove. Black pepper
Palate: medium acidity, medium tannins that do grip at first. I get mostly dark fruit and black pepper along with vanilla and toffee and oak.
Finish: long
Love the bold tannins, oak is mellow and smooth in a way that you meet in bourbon. I am guessing this will be ready in 5-7 years, a bit off-balance now.
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9/20/2020 - sung251 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Initially there are noticeable amount of oak which better integrated over time in the decanter. Apart from that there are notes of earthy minerality, red and dark fruits which were counter balanced with well pitched acid and fine tannins. Although the fruit was lovely in my opinion the acid and tannin structural framework of the wine was the star.
As more time in the decanter passed I felt I got more blue fruit profile that came out as well which worked well overall. The wine works alone but for me felt it would excel even more with food at its current stage. My only gripe at its current stage is the oak is a little more apparent than I would like but with time there should be no problem since the oak will most likely integrate beautifully.
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8/21/2020 - JustBreathe680 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I first tasted this wine on 4/2/20. The wine on that day was from a 750 and it was shipped 2 day mail and received on 3/31/20. My original review notes the possibility of some potential bottle shock due to the quick turnaround time. I don't know if bottle shock was at play but the bottle I drank on 8/21/20 showed much better than the bottle on 4/2/20. However, there are a few differences to note between the 2 tastings.
4/2/20 tasting was from a 750. It was only in my Eurocave at 55 degrees for 2 days. The bottle was decanted for approximately 2 hours. It was consumed out of a Riedel SOMM Bordeaux glass.
8/21/20 tasting was from a 375. It sat at 55 degrees in the Eurocave for a few months. The bottle was decanted the same amount of time, approximately 2 hours. Final twist between the two tastings, the glass used was a Conterno Sensory which is advertised to be used with almost all wine varietals but it was designed and intended to be used with Barolo and Pinot Noir styled wines. However, it is also suggested for young Bordeaux, which is why I decided to switch up the glass on this tasting.
The wine showed much better on the second go around. It was more relaxed and not as wound up as it was the first time. There were more aromas this time. There were good scents of spices. The flavors were of black cherries, blackberries and red cherry. There appeared to be the added presence of red fruits this time, which may be due to the glass. There was a sweet tannin flavor, which I have noticed recently in several Ridge wines I've drank. I'm not sure if this is due to American Oak but it is a distinct taste of Ridge for me. The tannins were medium plus but they became more pronounced the longer the wine was in prolonged contact with air. There was good acidity (medium plus). It was just a bit tart.
I enjoyed this wine much more than I did a few months ago. It has plenty of room to improve over the next decade but if you have the itch to open this bottle young, then a long decant will serve you and the wine well. I had no intentions of opening this bottle as early as I did after my first experience but I only wanted to open a 375 and this bottle was front and center. I'm glad I grabbed it against my better judgment. Enjoy!
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8/13/2020 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Elemental nose of blackberries, violets, dark chocolate, with a whisper of oak. Dark aromatic salty fruit on the palate, with tremendous verve, sweet and sour framing, lovely sweet aromatic tannins emerging at the back on the move into the winding tannic acid finish. Perfect with Kobe beef hamburgers with pickled jalapenos and home made mayonaisse.
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7/16/2020 - gharter Likes this wine: 90 Points
Thick and rich. Blueberry, cassis, anise, blackberry aromas and flavors. Currently this is all overwhelmed by the oak. Needs several years to calm down and integrate.
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6/12/2020 - Shugs_Claret wrote: 92 Points
First time trying Ridge. American oak is immediately apparent on the nose, which I did not know beforehand. After a bit of air, the oak gives way (a bit) to cassis and cherry. The palate is cherry, currant with loads of acidity and chewy tannin. Not sure whether the fruit survive long enough for the wine to mellow. An enjoyable contrast in style nonetheless.
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5/2/2020 - Fred44 wrote: 93 Points
A fine wine.
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4/24/2020 - poppacork Likes this wine: 91 Points
Didn’t want to open this, but we were cooking steaks and didn’t plan ahead. I think these usually need 7+ years from the vintage date to start showing well. This is showing well at the moment, but it is classically styled and I think it’s going to shut down soon.
The nose presented great perfumed cassis and blueberry with hints of cedar and dill from the oak. The acidity is elevated enough to provide good sparkle through the finish which is filled with abundant yet finely structured tannins which linger past the fruit.
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4/21/2020 - jmottern Likes this wine: 90 Points
Surprisingly full body Cabernet that drinks so well this young. Medium body wine (14%) with a pleasing nose. Very nice fruit with high promise to improve with age. Pleasant finish with a hint of tannin. A high value purchase.
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4/2/2020 - JustBreathe680 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyed the 2017 Estate Cab during the Ridge Winemaker Virtual Tasting hosted by winemaker Eric Baugher on 4/2/20. What a great way to escape for 1 hour during a Nationwide quarantine! The wines for this event included: 2017 Estate Cab; 2017 Klein Cab; 2017 Perrone Merlot and 2018 Estate Chardonnay. I ordered and received, with 2 day free shipping, the Estate Cab and the Estate Chardonnay on the morning of the Virtual Tasting.
The 2017 Estate Cab is made up of 75% Cab Sauv, 21% Merlot, 3% Cab Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It resembles a classic left bank Bordeaux. The wine is intended to be enjoyed now. However, I disagree and believe that it will show better in several years.
The wine was decanted for approximately 2 hours. The nose was not very floral and a bit muted. It is young and possibly a little shutdown from traveling across the Country the past 2 days or from being bottled on 5/2019 (I believe). The color was purple but not a really deep dark purple. It was tight, had significant tannins and high acidity, almost a little tart. There were flavors of darker fruits, black cherry, and leather. After approximately 5+ hours of air, the tannins began to relax and were a little softer/smoother. The fruit became a little plusher and smoother on the palate. The body was medium to full, the finish was somewhere between medium and long. It was not overly extracted. The wine is intended to be enjoyed now and over the next 10 years. I suggest waiting at least 2-3 years and even then utilize a good decant.
Today, the wine is a 91+. It has the potential to be 93-94 but it needs time.
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4/2/2020 - brasstab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pure cinnamon in the nose. Bright fruit, brilliant structure and finish for days. Crazy young still, but enjoyed it with a winemaker Zoom tasting.
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4/2/2020 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 92 Points
Pnp, much richer nose than the 16s, dark cab fruit, milk chocolate, spice, evident oak, good intensity. Palate is tight, balanced, good acid, firm tannin, lots of structure here, pencil lead, blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, good purity of fruit, lengthy finish. Very good now and will easily go 10 years with some ponential upside down the road 92+
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4/2/2020 - Renzloh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Extremely young. Seems to have a lot of potential. Had a 2014 recently and that one still has a ways to go.
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4/2/2020 - Cullens wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours and still tight. White pepper, bing cherries, and leather. A bit veggie but coating and pleasant. Very young and promising.
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3/29/2020 - BrendanMcS wrote: 90 Points
Blackberries on the nose with some smoked meat and caramelized brown sugar. Palate is full of cherry, a little cranberry, and some other lighter red fruits, but they seemed to disappear quickly. Moderately tannic as well. Young at this stage and somewhat unsettled. It seemed a little delicate for such a young wine. I was expecting a little more, but it could simply just be shut down at this stage. I would wait a few years to let the flavors come out a bit more, but has potential for improvement.
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