Community Tasting Note

srh Likes this wine:

Saturday, January 19, 2019 - Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 4 *shared* bottles] from 01/18/19 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): José, as I'd never tried a Monte Bello, doble gracias for looking out for us today! :)

75% C.S., 18% Merlot, 5% C.F., & 2% Petit Verdot from their driest vintage in 52 yrs of making this! Harvested 9/2–24/14 @ 25.2˚ ave Brix; "Grapes destemmed, 100% whole berries. Automated berry sorting followed by hand sorting. Fermented on the native yeasts. Pressed at ten days. Natural malolactic." Aged 17 mos in "100% new air-dried oak (97% AM, 2% FR, & 1% Hungarian);"

N: *Fragrantly* INTENSE, packed with aromas, but... unparsable :(

P: LM body; LOVELY, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within the context of the frt as it evolves into a very LONG, *impeccably* BALANCED finish with SUCH an enticing tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins that makes it hard to resist NOW, though it surely DESERVES through '21 (min), then making its 15th... easily. Would seem to have it A-L-L ! 13.5% ABV; My Exceptional! In addition to Ridge's site (with numerous + reviews): On 10/10/17 91pts Decanter's PANEL, 95 RJonWine, & 18/20 (cask) Jancis Robinson

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