This was excellent and better than the 1989 Pichon-Longueville Baron the previous night. Highly underrated (self) and impressed it has lasted so long so well. Can’t imagine improving so suggest drinking if you have. But really impressed. Know Napa has it in it to last this long but still. And has to be very, very few and far between that can. Almost 40 years….. wow. No formal notes. Too busy celebrating with family.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An incredible bottle from WT. Not decanted/just Andouzed 8 hours prior, and it even improved for hours after serving. As close as it gets to immortal. A privilege.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My bottle. Served blind to the rest of the tasting group. Andouzed for 8 hours, no decant. Gorgeous on the nose and on the palate. Black cherries, cassis, cinnamon, truffles and more. Eternal finish. A few sips left in the glass for four hours were even better. It developed a beautiful minty note with air. No only didn't it decline, it improved. It could have used a decant, but was outstanding without it. Ready the other notes on CT illustrated the view that there are no great wines, only great bottles. This was a magnificent bottle, and it takes its place amongst my most memorable wines. Strong praise from a Europhile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Old Napa Wines Dinner (Joseph's Place, Wong Chung Hang, Hong Kong): Drank blind in a long line of older Napa reds. Slightly dusty but clean-jeweled transparent ruby colour. Nose is immediately "oh, this is special"...very light but ethereal, hints of smoke in a pork ribs on a barbecue kind of way. Palate is rounded, fully resolved tannins, medium weight and quite feminine. But....it came with an impressive explosion of resonant power and length on the finish. I upped it a point for the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Funny but coming on the heels of the Chalone Vineyards Pinot this wasn't showing quite as well. It's god a nice age style to it. Fruit mostly faded. Get a lot of spices and floral notes. It's a pretty wine, but perhaps a touch less vibrant than the one before.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not sure what to think about this. I don't believe that this is bad, but past its prime, possible. Used a Coravin to access this. Cork was level with bottle rim, has grey crusting there, mold like.
brown rim, deep red brown color, leather on the nose, fades quickly, light mouth feel, tannins have rounded off at this point, tart and bright fruits almost resembles a young Beaujolais.The more air it gets the more metallic the nose becomes.
Haven't had much experience with older bottles to have a difference between flawed/defective and age. My gut tells me this is age, but I will leave that to the people on this site that have more experience.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark color and intense black fruit aromas with some tobacco, earth and spice. Firm and slightly backward to start, I thought this improved over 30-45 minutes, then started shortening and getting less interesting after the the one hour mark.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ridge Monte Bello Vertical Tasting 1974 - 2008 (Switzerland): Still youthful in color. Taste of leather and coffee. Acid is present, strawberries. A bit short in the finish but surprisingly fresh. This was the last Monte Bello with 100% Cabernet. Drink now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A thoroughly mature bottle of Monte Bello. Notes of leather, tar and other tertiary flavors, fruit is in the background, good acid for the steak dinner. 12.7% ABV. Tannins are there, but fully resolved. This bottle was at a peak. Absolutely fabulous!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At Ridge Day in the Vineyard 1990. Low fill bottle. Ruby with orange rim. Nice, mellow, medium-weight nose. On the palate, fairly light but good fruit. Nice finish. Ready. Good stuff. 5-10-14-6: 85/100.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/25/2023 - TahoeSki wrote:
This was excellent and better than the 1989 Pichon-Longueville Baron the previous night. Highly underrated (self) and impressed it has lasted so long so well. Can’t imagine improving so suggest drinking if you have. But really impressed. Know Napa has it in it to last this long but still. And has to be very, very few and far between that can. Almost 40 years….. wow. No formal notes. Too busy celebrating with family.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2023 - hprphf wrote: 92 Points
Nose is very good, dimensional, dark fruit, super fresh. Palate is slightly weaker showing thin structure. 92-93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2022 - Neecies wrote:
An incredible bottle from WT. Not decanted/just Andouzed 8 hours prior, and it even improved for hours after serving. As close as it gets to immortal. A privilege.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2022 - WST Likes this wine:
My bottle. Served blind to the rest of the tasting group. Andouzed for 8 hours, no decant. Gorgeous on the nose and on the palate. Black cherries, cassis, cinnamon, truffles and more. Eternal finish. A few sips left in the glass for four hours were even better. It developed a beautiful minty note with air. No only didn't it decline, it improved. It could have used a decant, but was outstanding without it.
Ready the other notes on CT illustrated the view that there are no great wines, only great bottles. This was a magnificent bottle, and it takes its place amongst my most memorable wines. Strong praise from a Europhile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2020 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 91 Points
Old Napa Wines Dinner (Joseph's Place, Wong Chung Hang, Hong Kong): Drank blind in a long line of older Napa reds. Slightly dusty but clean-jeweled transparent ruby colour. Nose is immediately "oh, this is special"...very light but ethereal, hints of smoke in a pork ribs on a barbecue kind of way. Palate is rounded, fully resolved tannins, medium weight and quite feminine. But....it came with an impressive explosion of resonant power and length on the finish. I upped it a point for the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2018 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Funny but coming on the heels of the Chalone Vineyards Pinot this wasn't showing quite as well. It's god a nice age style to it. Fruit mostly faded. Get a lot of spices and floral notes. It's a pretty wine, but perhaps a touch less vibrant than the one before.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2015 - tinybubbles wrote: flawed
Soapy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2015 - UMhemePA wrote:
Not sure what to think about this. I don't believe that this is bad, but past its prime, possible.
Used a Coravin to access this. Cork was level with bottle rim, has grey crusting there, mold like.
brown rim, deep red brown color, leather on the nose, fades quickly, light mouth feel, tannins have rounded off at this point, tart and bright fruits almost resembles a young Beaujolais.The more air it gets the more metallic the nose becomes.
Haven't had much experience with older bottles to have a difference between flawed/defective and age. My gut tells me this is age, but I will leave that to the people on this site that have more experience.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Dark color and intense black fruit aromas with some tobacco, earth and spice. Firm and slightly backward to start, I thought this improved over 30-45 minutes, then started shortening and getting less interesting after the the one hour mark.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2012 - Wine_lvr wrote: 88 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Vertical Tasting 1974 - 2008 (Switzerland): Still youthful in color. Taste of leather and coffee. Acid is present, strawberries. A bit short in the finish but surprisingly fresh. This was the last Monte Bello with 100% Cabernet. Drink now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2012 - ljones wrote: 96 Points
A thoroughly mature bottle of Monte Bello. Notes of leather, tar and other tertiary flavors, fruit is in the background, good acid for the steak dinner. 12.7% ABV. Tannins are there, but fully resolved. This bottle was at a peak.
Absolutely fabulous!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2010 - WetRock wrote:
Pro Kids of San Diego Charity Event - Older Bord and Cabs (Weissman Residence, Rancho Santa Fe, CA): Terrific integrated complex palate. The fruit is completely integrated and the secondary and tertiary notes really come through still strong. This has no where to go but down. The fill wasn't so hot on this bottle but it performed very well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/28/2007 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Chronicle: Blueberry, drk cocoa, leather, grt soft t’s, gd structure--very nice stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2006 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 95 Points
The Full Monte - 35 Year Monte Bello Vertical (Alba Restaurant, London): 100% CS, 12.7% Alcohol
Mid ruby, darker blackcurrant fruit compares with the lighter summer fruit of the previous few wines, slightly dense, still has some time to live.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/1990 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 85 Points
At Ridge Day in the Vineyard 1990. Low fill bottle. Ruby with orange rim. Nice, mellow, medium-weight nose. On the palate, fairly light but good fruit. Nice finish. Ready. Good stuff. 5-10-14-6: 85/100.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment