April 22, 2024 - Drank over 2 days. After about 2 hour decant this peaked. Violets wrapped in fine leather. Bright with energy for an old red.
October 16, 2023 - Opened the bottle and set it aside for a couple hours. Lovely Monte Bello minerals on the nose and palate. Violet perfume. Feminine and graceful. I’m so pleased with this. Day2 it’s more blue-fruited, leaner of course, gentle. Drink now!
December 8, 2022 - Nice structure, dark fruit, balanced acid and tannins, bit more acidic on the finish drunk on its own, but great with food. Opened an hour before a holiday party and served with tamales, it was a great accompaniment. Drinking well now.
April 15, 2021 - After an hour decant I had a couple tastes: acidic, mild tannins, some balsalmic notes, vibrant. Purple coloring on the edges. Spot on Cab Franc pencil lead characteristics. After hour 3 this has softened a ton, more round, acid had faded, velvety. Enjoyed this with a ribeye. Would have preferred to have consumed it after hour one as those initial flavors would have help with the meal better. This is in a perfect place. Drink up.
February 11, 2020 - Lots of floral, earthy, and vegetal notes on the nose, with a core of cherry fruit and edge of leather. It’s medium-bodied in the mouth, bright, with tart and fresh cherry and dried cherry too. Finishes pure and pretty. It’s still youthful, will probably last 5 to 10 years more.
Usually this fruit ends up in the Monte Bello, but it was bottled separately in this vintage, which makes this a special treat.
April 6, 2019 - Very nice.
December 28, 2017 - This ridge cab franc is drinking wonderfully right now! Perfect hints of everything, green pepper, light red fruit on the nose. Ready to drink!
November 5, 2017 - Drinking well now, good structure, cherry, earth, leather
August 5, 2017 - Very rich nose; Big fruit; Nice balance; Very good
August 5, 2017 - slow-oxed over a couple of hours. Significant sediment stuck on bottle wall. pours dark violet color. Nose big, oak, dark fruits, with time mild hints of herbs/green pepper. Palate surprisingly restrained compared to the nose. light oak again on palate, blackberries, juicy overall, slightest hint of coffee. no discernible tannic bite on palate, very drinkable now. 92 pts