Ridge 2010 Monte Bello Component Tasting and picnic

This special tasting of the first assemblage of the latest Monte Bello and its components at Ridge is an annual tradition for those of us who love and admire the Monte Bello--one of California's last great meritages, IMHO. It's also always a fun event, which includes tasting at the Monte Bello tasting room after tasting through the 2010 Monte Bello components, and then convening for a Ridge-themed picnic on one of the picnic tables across from the Monte Bello tasting room.

On arrival, we started with the '07 Monte Bello Chard, which was lovely. As usual, we then tasted barrel samples of the single varietal components of the blend, except for the Cabernet Franc, because the Cab Franc we tasted was from new vineyards and will be bottled separately--it's not part of the blend. The Merlot, which is 23% of the current 2010 Monte Bello assemblage, seems very primary at the moment, but has good acidity. The Cabernet Sauvignon component we tasted was from Fosters Block, and it was quite beautiful and complex. There will be other Cabernet blocks in the assemblage as well, as Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 70% of the current assemblage. The Petit Verdot component was the most exciting for me, with its clear pencil lead signature and lovely black fruit. When the Petit Verdot gets ripe at Monte Bello and we get to try it during these component tastings, we always ask about the possibility of a single varietal bottling. The fact is, though, there's just too little of it for that--what there is is usually a small but important component of the Monte Bello--currently five percent of the blend. Cabernet Franc currently accounts for only two percent of the blend. Then we tasted a barrel sample of the 2010 first assemblage itself, and that is quite impressive, already, at this stage: complex and somehow reminiscent of a very good St. Julien from a ripe year.

For a beautifully written and detailed description of the process by which Ridge arrives at the Monte Bello assemblage, see Christopher Watkins's front-line reportage on the Ridge blog: http://blog.ridgewine.com/2011/03/03/a-seat-at-the-table-a-day-in-which-i-am-invited-to-participate-in-the-2010-assemblage-tasting/ Here's my report on last year's first assemblage Monte Bello component tasting: http://www.rjonwine.com/cabernet-sauvignon/2009-ridge-monte-bello-component/ And here's my blog report on a Monte Bello vertical tasting dinner last year: http://www.rjonwine.com/cabernet-sauvignon/ridge-monte-bello-dinner/

There's usually an older Monte Bello for comparison--on this day it was the '92 from half bottles, which I've tasted a few times now. In this format, it's ready to be enjoyed as a mature Monte Bello, with lots of tart currant and mushroom. I also enjoyed tasting the Cabernet Franc from the Cheval Block, planted in 2008 and '09. It had wonderful silky texture and good balance. This additional planting means that there will, in years when the varietal gets sufficiently ripe, be enough Cab Franc for some to be separately bottled--something lovers of cool climate California Cab Franc like me have been waiting for. At the end of the barn-like room where we tasted the assemblage components there were lovely breads, Cowgirl Creamery cheeses and addictively good charcuterie from the Fatted Calf set out for palate cleansing.



Once we finished tasting (and re-tasting), and chatting and snacking amongst the components, we adjourned to the Monte Bello tasting room to see what was on offer. The standouts from the tasting room were the '08 Monte Bello and the '07 Cabernet-Merlot SCM Estate. We had come armed with some older Ridge and lots of tasty edibles for our usual picnic lunch, but the weather was very cool and damp, with light sprinkles until about 2 pm, so we spent more time than usual hanging out in the tasting room, and wandering out occasionally to see if it might be dry enough, yet, for our picnic. Finally we were hungry enough and the sprinkles light enough that we plunged out to the picnic tables, where we were the only people there for the first hour or so. Ash's pastas were the standout of our edibles. Amongst our wines, I most enjoyed the '02 Petite Sirah Lytton (which still needs another few years) and the '04 SCM. The '97 Mataro Pagani Ranch was one of the better California Mourvedres I've tried too.

All in all, another wonderful visit to the shrine of the Santa Cruz Mountain AVA's great Bordeaux varietal producer, the home of one of California's last traditionally styled and ageworthy meritages. I hope to get to the final assemblage tasting in May and to report on that here too. For my detailed tasting notes, see below:

• 2007 Ridge Chardonnay Monte Bello 91 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Light green-tinged yellow color; cream, lime, oak, apple nose; tasty, creamy textured, concentrated, poised, tart green apple, lime cream, mineral palate; medium-plus finish

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• 2010 Ridge Monte Bello 93 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  First assemblage barrel sample - nearly opaque crimson color; lovely, complex, olive, herbaceous, tart cassis, tart currant nose; tasty, tart currant, tart cassis, olive, herbaceous palate, like a St. Julien from a ripe year; long finish 93-95 points (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc)
  2010 Merlot component barrel sample - medium dark purple red violet color; primary, lavender, berry, raspberry nose; tight, tart red plum, herbaceous, tart red currant palate with near medium acidity; medium-plus finish 90-91 points (Bowl Block)
  2010 Cabernet Sauvignon component barrel sample - dark magenta color; lovely, rich and complex tart cassis, green peppercorn, green olive nose; tasty, poised, tart cassis, green olive, red currant palate with lift; medium finish 92-95 points (Fosters Block)
  2010 Petit Verdot component barrel sample - opaque purple red violet color; hint of pencil lead, tart red plum, red berry, black fruit nose; rich, lovely, tart black fruit, pencil lead, graphite palate; medium-plus finish 93-96 points (Olivos Block)

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• 2010 Ridge Cabernet Franc 91 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Barrel sample - very dark red violet color; toasty oak, roast coffee, bell pepper, herbaceous, deep currant nose; tight, silky textured, tart roasted red fruit, tart currant palate with near medium acidity; medium-plus finish 91-93 points (Cheval Block, planted in '08/'09 to three different clones)

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• 1992 Ridge Monte Bello 93 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  From 375 ml - slightly bricking medium dark red violet color; nice mushroom, dried mushroom, tart currant nose; tasty, poised, silky textured, tart currant, mushroom palate with near medium acidity; medium-plus finish

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• 2008 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 88 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Dark crimson color; focused, ripe cassis, berry nose with a touch of menthol; tight, oak, cassis palate, needs several years to integrate; medium-plus finish 88+ points

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• 2008 Ridge Monte Bello 93 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Dark red violet color; Lovely, rich, cassis, red berry nose; tasty, rich, poised, ripe cassis, red currant, tart plum palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points (72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot)

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• 2009 Ridge Chardonnay Estate 91 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Light yellow color; tart citrus, lime, tart gooseberry nose; tasty, creamy textured, tart green fruit, tart lime, tart citrus palate; medium-plus finish

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• 2007 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate 92 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Dark red violet color; deep cassis, red plum nose with a tough of menthol lift; tightish, tasty, poised, cassis, tart plum palate with depth; medium-plus finish 92+ points

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• 2008 Ridge Geyserville 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Dark purple violet color; rich, ripe berry, ripe plum, raspberry syrup nose; tasty, medium bodied, poised, berry, ripe plum, cinnamon palate with herbal lift, needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish

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• 2006 Ridge Syrah/Grenache Lytton Estate 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

  Focused plum, ripe raspberry, tart berry nose; tasty, concentrated, ripe berry, sweet green herb, ripe black fruit palate, with a nice balance between the black fruit/plum Syrah and ripe berry Grenache; medium-plus finish

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• 1987 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Bradford Mountain 89 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Bricking medium dark red violet color; nice mushroom, earthy, tart plum nose; tasty, mature, tart plum, earthy, mushroom, olive palate; medium finish (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot)

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• 1986 Ridge Zinfandel Park-Muscatine 84 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Bricked medium red violet color; iodine, tart currant, quite mature nose; mature, mushroomy, tart plum, currant, iodine palate; medium finish (76% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane)

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• 1985 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Jimsomare 88 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Bricked medium dark red violet color; mature roasted plum, currant nose; mature, tart currant, iodine, tart plum palate; medium-plus finish

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• 2002 Ridge Petite Sirah Lytton Estate 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

  Very dark red violet color; tart black fruit, tar nose; tasty, tar, ripe black fruit, licorice palate, needs 3-plus more years; long finish (84% Petite Sirah, 16% Zin)

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• 2004 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate 91 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Very dark red violet color; rich, berry, black fruit, cedar, ripe plum nose; tasty, ripe plum, tart plum, ripe black fruit palate; medium-plus finish (51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc)

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• 1997 Ridge Mataro Pagani Ranch 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

  Bricking medium dark red violet color; reduction, very tart berry, smoke, leather nose; reduction, tart berry, black fruit, mineral, char, charcoal palate with depth; long finish 90+ points (77% Mourvedre, 23% Zinfandel)

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