Deep garnet with aromatic black and red fruit, mint, violet, pencil lead, and subtle cigar box aromas. On the palate it’s medium bodied, fresh and long with velvety round tannins and cassis, blackberry, black cherry flavors beautifully accented with savory menthol and subtle graphite notes. Long finish. Beautiful wine! Blend of 76% Cab/24% Merlot. 13.5% abv
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Somewhat spontaneous, and non-decanted, pull by my sis after the Haut Bailly at the end of our pizza-calzone evening. Light to medium notes of red currants, blackberries, red raspberries, and red and black cherries coming out more with air, oak and general woodiness, mixed ground spice, rocky minerality and a bit of pencil shavings. Medium ruby, light to medium bodied, light to medium legs. Powerful tannins and acidity, still pretty separate, no heat. Good complexity, VG intensity and persistence. I was a semi-regular drinker of this bottling in the past, but it’s been at least a decade since I’ve had more than a taste at one of Ridge’s tasting rooms, and was eager to try again. I was surprised at the austerity of this off the pour, not so much from this producer, which I like but is often on the spartan side of things, but because of this generally generous vintage and its age. Austere almost to the point of severe out of the bottle, this did open during the hour and a half of consumption, with more prominent red fruit notes and lots of earth and wood, much more of a companion to the prior HB, the earlier in the week Grattamacco and even last weekend’s RS than its closer geographic neighbor the Ovid. For my palate, this is much more of a food wine than a sipper, and alas, we’d basically finished dinner, and other TNs aside, I don’t think that this has hit its drinking window yet, is likely years away, and under any circumstances, needs prodigious air to be really enjoyable at this point. Just as drinking the CA cult producers from time to time helps me ground my palate as not quite in their bailiwick, some of my quaffs from the past 10 days tells me that there is very much another direction, and it can likewise go further than my preferences, and on this like so many other things, I’m somewhere in the mushy middle. Advise holding and hoping that this loosens its grip. 90-91+
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Pop’n green aromas. Chewy texture. Outstanding at pnp! Black fruit palate. Medium tannin, medium acid. No more coconut notes. Drink to 2040. I’d give this a 95 if I had to. 76Cab, 24Merlot, 19m in barrel, 2.5% water addition, egg white fining.great to the last drop. Drank over 2 hours.
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I bought a 6 x mixed case of this wine 2 x 2012, 13, 14. Top notch provenance. This was my second bottle of the 2012 and wow! what a difference between the two. My first bottle earlier in the year was a rather one dimensional fruit bomb. Lovely but rather 'uninteresting'. This bottle was completely different. Deep colour, spicy blackcurrant, smooth and integrated tannins with a zip of acidity coming in at the end, elongating the crisp finish. Lovely stuff. Maybe the wine's the same but the drinker is in a different 'mood'. Who knows? Drinking perfectly well now. It paired well with a pork chop, saute potatoes and cavolo nero.
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Sit down tasting. This had been open for 6-7 hours. Lots of layered flavors and aromas here, perhaps less density than I recall from most vintages. Still ever-so-slightly backward. Had a charming Bordeaux-like character.
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2012 Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Montebello Vineyard 76% CS, 24% Merlot. Alc 13.5 Still dark and dense color Pencil lead on the nose Intense Dark fruit on the palate. Still moderate tannins but well integrated
Drinking very well
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Deep and serious wine. An experience. Time to uncork and drink up! Mountain fruit that has mellowed. Still wonderful, but not for too much longer. See previous tasting note for points.
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Plump, plummy, dark-fruited and medium-bodied, simple, a point. Nobody is gonna confuse this for Monte Bello. Opened this for my sister who is a big fan of CA cabernet. At least based on this bottle, I would not hold longer. I show one more in the cellar in CT but did not see it when pulling this, and need to look more closely.
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We had two bottles, one was corked the other one was ok. It was full bodied with mild tannins, it is ready to drink. You could taste some blueberries, currant and mild smoke, I did notice a slight after taste. Will try again and see it it was me to this vintage.
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Dark ruby with garnet edges. Intense aromas of dark and red fruit, lilacs, mocha, loam, all blocked out in primary colors. On the palate, prominent red cherry fruit, very smooth medium to strong tannins, lovely sweet acids, medium body, low to medium alcohol (13.5%)). Long aromatic finish. Excellent with duck confit.
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This is in a great spot for my tastes. Very balanced and the acidity plays well against the red fruit flavors. Drinking well now or can wait up to ~5yrs
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A beautiful bottle! Plenty of dark fruit left, but structure and complexity is getting the overhand. Blackcurrant, blueberry, licorice, violets, leather, oak, some ceder.... Very good length and although this is close to its peak in my opinion, there is plenty of life and years in it yet. I had it with mufflon patties and a chanterell sauce.
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Opened the bottle, poured a glass and let it sit for a couple of hours….
Classic Ridge / Santa Cruz mountain eucalyptus on the nose.
The fruit is absolutely singing now. If you like your Ridge cabs with bright sweet fruit with just enough tannins to keep it from becoming a fruit bomb - drink up!
The Justin red and Rombauer zin - loving Mrs enjoyed this…
If you prefer the more rustic profile (like me), hold on for a few more years.
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Dark ruby, with a hint of garnet around the edges. On the nose, a canvas painted in primary colors of graphite, green pepper, blackberry, and lilacs, each distinctly separate but beautifully composed, with side notes of mocha and a very deft touch of oak. Sweet evolution of fruit on the palate, fresh black raspberry, strong acids, smoothly integrated tannins evolving into lovely aromatic back notes on the long finish.
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2nd bottle in 18 months. No decant prior to drinking but did slow ox in bottle for 2hrs. In retrospect a 1hr decant would have been best. Amazing bouquet from minute it was opened. Red fruit, tart, long finish. Really great wine and drinking well now. I can see this evolving for a few more years and will wait until 2022 for my next bottle.
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Delicious example of this wine, beautiful ripe fruity Cabernet character with a lick of oak. Quite alcoholic, and if I’d been drinking this at home I’d have chilled it a little. We were in a restaurant and it didn’t seem worth the bother: probably a mistake in retrospect but the wine was still great with an amazing hogget dish.
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Similar to last bottle showed better on day 2 versus day 1 (even with 2 hr decant on day 1). I guess this one would benefit from a few more years aging. I recently had the 2005 and 2008 which were both showing great.
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Drank this over two nights by first transferring half of the bottle to an empty 375ml and then decanting the remaining half for later that night. On night 1 even with a couple hour decant this was a bit closed and I would score high 80’s. On night two everything was much better integrated and this was very smooth. I agree with the previous note that it was a bit acidic. For whatever reason it came together well on the second night.
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Much better than the one I had a few years ago, though still amazingly backward. This needs another five years really to open up. There is a Santa Cruz Mountains aspect to this wine, which is welcome - a kind of pucker dryness, though still too tightly wound even with decanting.
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Needs two hours minimum decant. Beautiful nose of dark fruits, minty eucalyptus, cinnamon-clove Christmas cake. Palate isn't as big, but is dark cherries. Good balance of acidity and fine tannin.
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First things first - decant this wine for 2-4 hours or wait another 5-7 years. I did not give it sufficient air, and it was downright angry for the first hour I was sipping at it. It started to open up after that, but it was at the three hour mark when it finally unfurled, and the fruit emerged to balance the tannic structure. There's still obvious oak, but it also came into balance with time. As I had my last few sips it really did remind me of its big brother wine, but on a smaller scale. I left 1/3 of the bottle to check on over the next couple of evenings, and will develop a notional plan for how to handle the rest. It really was lovely once it opened up, it just needed a lot of time.
Great cabernet fruit with cassis, some fresh blueberries, some pipe tobacco, coarsely ground black pepper and brilliant acidity and long finish with a medium body creating a feeling of an easy-drinking claret that is still not bashful about its Californian fruit. There is a grip and substance but it is sand paper elegant and ready to journey for another decade in your cellar if you so wish but also great with some grilled Black Onyx Entrecôte in the warm summer evening.
Needs an hour to open but it’s worth it. Purple hue that opens with violet, bay leaf and black fruit aromas. Black cherry and blueberry dominate on the front palate while graphite, cedar and allspice linger on a lasting finish. Well-balanced acidity/fruit in this smooth tannic full-bodied beauty.
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Corvin samples of the Estate Cab 2011, 2012 and 2016 after an inspiring websession with Eric Baugher of Ridge. Very similar to 2016 on the nose. Not very developed yet as it shows a lot of cassis and fruit on the nose. Softer tannin than 2016 but not to drink yet. Later tried it against the 2012 Leoville Poyferre which was a lot softer and more plummy. This one had better structure or rather more of it. Give it another 4-5 years. Will last longer up to 15 years of age. Great wine bought on release. 92p
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What a wonderful wine! Grapes from the Monte Bello Vineyard in the Santa Cruz mountains that didn't make it into the Monte Bello designation. Oh well. Great grapes. Better price. 76% cabernet sauvignon. 24% merlot. Sun ripened, mountain fruit from steep terraces. Delicious. Honestly, this is a joy to drink.
I was worried, since I had Coravinned this bottle some time ago and today saw that it was leaking. Lucky me it tastes perfect And I am so glad I waited for the tannins to soften before opening it
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This is a terrific effort. Remarkable earthiness, much energy and restrain, and no excess opulence and ripeness whatsoever. Take a great St. Emillion and subtract any excess ripeness and richness of fruit and you would get a proxy of sorts (but not a perfect one, by any stretch). If you seek a typical over-the-top Napa Cab, keep looking elsewhere; for the rest of us this is a gem, especially at this price point. Not at its peak yet.
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Ridge has got this Cabernet bottling absolutely cracking. This replaced the Santa Cruz Mtns bottling in 2008. After 30 minutes in a Merlot decanter this was ready to go. The 2013 is equally as good. Cost $43. 92/93
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One of 5 Cabernets drunk (4 Washington, 1 California) at a blind bag tasting. All were well received and were easily recognized as Cabernets. No one picked this one out as Calfornia.
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Served with Wagyu Ribeye steak, roast asparagus, roast potatoes. Opened 30 minutes prior to serving. Decanted 5 minutes prior to pouring. Very dark ruby, saturated and consistent to rim. Looks young, yet has sediment showing up. Great nose right from the decanting pour. Tannin, acid, fruit in balance. Nice wine.
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Decant for a fair amount of large sediment. No notes taken. Nose was closed on opening, very fragrant in two hours. Still young and primary, with a heavy dose of oak present (not unexpected). The 24% Merlot shows through as well. At end of last bit, tannins beginning to show again. This has a long life ahead yet.
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My last bottle of this vintage. Opened, but not decanted, at a NYC restaurant, for about an hour before we poured it. Out of the 4 Cabs we had, this was the overwhelming favorite for my wine group.
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This was a bottle consumed in an "American v French Oak" blind tasting and was paired with a 2012 Hourglass Blueline Cab. Stumped about 50% of people. Baby Bello in 100% American Oak, nose of black fruit, tobacco, a little herbal. Entered with good stiff oak astringency. Blackberry, tobacco leaf, oregano and basil notes. This wine was very balanced, and the finish of this wine still had quite a bit of stiff oak tannin but was very balanced and quite a bit more elegant than I expected it to be. Nice wine. The Hourglass definitely had more roasted notes and vanilla and toffee which gave the French Oak away to me. Vs. the Hourglass Blueline cab, this was my huckleberry.
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Excellent Bordeaux-like blend that is several years away from its peak. Even after several hours of decanting, this begged for more cellaring, with much energy, earthy notes, red-berry notes, and some rustic tannins. Delightful stuff if you are not seeking opulence in your Cab blend.
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Just entering drinking window...will wait on the rest. Beautiful fruit with a slightly tart finish but not off putting. Will settle down with more time. Enjoyable now but will get better.
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Not decanted. Nice sweet fruit on top of a ton of leather and tobacco notes. The middle was hollow, though, so I think this could use time, although it was quite expressive. My wife and I were surprised at how leathery and Bdx-like this was in some ways, but with sweeter fruit. Very unique. Drink or hold.
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I try to drink these about 6-7 years from vintage date and they're typically in the perfect window. This 2012 could use more time, though still excellent today. Needs another 2-3 years to fully unravel.
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Leans toward blue and black fruit flavors; rich up front, it’s brimming with fruit but well balanced by structure. The finish is not there yet, it’s a bit harsh and clearly this needs more time to soften up to reach full potential. 90 today but could go higher.
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Pop and pour and served with food. Dark purple color. Nose offers black cherries and some oak notes. Good depth of fruit flavors, with bright acidity to carry the fruit. Tannins are generally soft, making this approachable at 6 years of age. Nice licorice root and tobacco notes on the finish. A baby Monte Bello. Delicious.
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Had 3 2012 Napa Cabs. All were opened, but not decanted for over 30 minutes at a NYC restaurant. In order, we had, Ridge Cabnernet Sauvignon Estate, Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Vintner Select and the Lail Cabernet Sauvignon Blueprint. I really enjoyed the Ridge, although it was the 3rd favorite among my group. So much less fruit than the others, that it can be a tough comparison. But I loved the spice notes (cigar box cedar), and the subtle balance between the fruit and the tanin. Nice structure. Medium-plus finish.
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Enjoyed this slightly late in the evening, so impressions aren't razor sharp, but good, cassis dominated fruit, good structure without being overly austere, some elegant green tones in the background.
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Beautiful nose of blackberry, black currant, mint, and baking spice. Smooth tannins and black fruit flavors that undulate on the palate. Ends with a medium finish. Still has a good 5-10 years before reaching peak, but very enjoyable now.
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Notes from memory, but I recall it brought a floral nose, concentrated red and black fruit, cassis liquor, milk chocolate, and refined tannins. We did not drink this with food but was nice as an evening sipper. Drink after 2020. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 92.
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An attractive, almost opaque, dark magenta in color, lightening at the edge. Very pretty and powerful aromas of sweet baking spices, vanilla and crushed dark fruits on the nose. Full-bodied, yet elegant in weight and texture. There’s wonderful depth to the tangy blackberry and plum fruit here. Displays an almost piercing intensity on the front-palate with a lively acidity. The finish is long and quite tannic, featuring prominent notes of earth and spice. Very Bordeaux-like and quite impressive - especially for a second wine. Still a bit tight and tannic, this is just at the very beginning of its drinking window and has a long life ahead of it. Looking forward to trying this over-achiever again a couple of years from now. 50+5+13+17+8=93
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There is meaningful improvement relative to my last tasting in 2/2017, but it's still not at its prime. One of the more energetic and earthy Cabs, with plenty of great acidity and still partially unintegrated tannins. True to the Ridge's style, this is restrained, without any excess ripeness or opulence. Lots of young plum notes on the palate. Likely to only much improve by 2020+.
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92+ points.Very well balanced . Elegant and delicious wine. Good fruit and some sweetness but far from being too much. I like this style much better than a lot of Napa wines I have had recently. Perfect with prime rib.
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Dark ruby. Warm melange of chocolate and blackberries on the nose, with nice base of oak. Deep core of sweet concentrated fruit on the palate with a delicate backing of acid, strong smooth tannin, aromatic dark berry notes in the long echoing finish. Great power and balance, a monumental wine. 50 + 18 + 18 + 9 = 95.
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Decanted for a good 40 minutes, much needed albeit what the wine needs its another 5 years of patience. Still a beautiful and elegant wine even at this ypung stage, Dark fruited, light herby, decent level of sweet oak notes but they complement the wine and the wine owns the oak. Good weight on the palate, well ripe, well balanced and with a lively vitality. Really impressed here. 92
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For Pete's sake, do not open until 2019+. Relative to my last tasting, in Jan. 2016, the wine remains severely restrained and shut down, with even primary flavors not yet coming together, not to mention the absence of any secondary notes. Decanting over several hours helps only marginally.
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Drinking well, classic Ridge style Cab. Rich, not overbearing fruit. Tannins simmering down a bit. Elements starting to play in harmony, especially after an hour of air.
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Earthy aromas lead the way with the red berry fruit coming in on the back end. Medium body with dominant secondary flavors of earth, mushroom, and minerality. The dark fruit gains intensity with air. Bright acidity and tight gripping tannins. Has the structure for the long haul. If tasted blind I would have guessed a Bordeaux.
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Classic. I decanted it for two hours, probably didn't need to. The smell coming out of the decanter was beautiful. Blueberry, cassis, leather, pencil lead. Great wine right now.
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Great nose of blackcurrant, plum, cedar, wood, oak, vanilla, coconut, spice, tobacco, earth. Very fresh acidity, youthful tannins. So delicious right now. Drink now and enjoy, drink 15 years from now and enjoy, the choice is yours.
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From restaurang during my Bachelor party. A real treat from my friends.
Ink in colour. Dark as night.
Tight, cold with excellent raw material (blueberries, black berries, dark chocolate, black tea, coconut oil, sweet liquorice, eucalyptos). Very young on the nose but still surprisingly open. Good level of oak.
Again tight on the palate with splashing fruit. Clean, elegant structure of the acid. Tannins are raw and wild but are balanced by the incredible fruit. Some eucalyptos in the end cools down my palate a little. Very long aftertaste.
What a wine this is! Hard to imagine how this will taste in 15-20 years and even harder to imagine how the Monte Bello -12 on magnum will taste in like 30-40 years.
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Opened, tried a glass, recorked and stored in the fridge for two weeks, this was just amazing! Deep and enticing fruit, but also a long and elegant freshness. The oaky nose was gone and in its stead was something beautiful with the promise of even more haunting greatness to come.
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Good concentration, but a little green, slightly pruney. Will benefit from more time. Better on the 2nd day but I'd wait eight years before opening the next one.
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Drank over two nights, and for some reason this wine didn't work at all. Nothing like our last bottle about five weeks ago. Very little fruit. Tons of oak, lots of acid, one dimensional. Corked? Sudden dumb phase? Bummer.
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Way too young now. Disjointed upon opening with a ton of oak on the palate, sizable tannins, and lots of acidity. One of the most acidic 2012 cabs I've tasted, which should bode well for cellaring. Also, very dry on the palate with minimal sugar. Should be really excellent in a few years but not sooner.
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Very nice Cabernet. Perfume, cassis, vanilla and oak on the nose. Blue and red fruit on palate. Ready to drink now (we decanted for about 60-90 minutes). Good for another decade easy.
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Not sure what, if anything has changed here, but the 2012 seems to me to be the most tightly coiled and full of potential young Estate Cab I've had from Ridge.
Clearly a very good wine now, every sip I have makes me sad that I didn't wait at least a decade more to open it up. All of the Ridge goodness you'd expect - the American oak is clear (and not yet integrated to my taste), real sour cherry backbone to the fruit - almost chianti-ish, fine tannins...
I would rate it 89 now but would expect a solid early to mid 90s showing were I to be able to wait (or found myself a time machine...)
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My third time tasting this young wine. It is a deep ruby color, purple rim, opaque center and appears clear and bright. The nose offers varietal fruit, some lead pencil, cassis, perhaps mulberry. It is a very clean and pure Cabernet nose. On the palate, Cabernet essence is at the forefront. Dark fruits and tart berry, tightly wound with cleansing acidity. Deeper notes of tar and tobacco leaf appear on the mid-palate. Finish is long, fruity, bot taut and balanced. A new world wine that will also appeal to old world palates.
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Black fruit with pleasantly dusty herbs. Pure black currant. Pure waves of rolling spice that grows with time. Not cheap, but great value for money. $50 at winery.
www.austinbeeman.com
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Doesn't taste like the notes and reviews I've seen. Medium bodied, tart red fruited profile, distinctive herbaceous/minty/green notes that I always get with monte bello fruit. Plenty of acid and refined tannin. Nice minerality.
Almost wonder if my bottle is off.
Not bad or off putting just not like the notes I've read.
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Tasted at Ridge Vineyards. This was quite smooth and lighter than a Montebello. More cabernet than the old Santa Cruz Mtns bottlings. Very impressive especially for the price. These age well and it pays off if you can wait.
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Pop and pour at home. Nose shows considerable wood. Coconut oil, robust black fruit. There's substantial oak at the get go, baking spice, menthol, pepper. Sweet purple-ness. Palate is loaded, the bigger, more extracted, more oaked side of Ridge Estate Cab. Give this some time, drink again in 2018.
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Finishing up the remnants of a bottle TLV opened the prior evening. Aromas of black cherry, black currant jam, boysenberry and Asian spices with a subtle incense note in the background. Flavors of blackberry and plum with a lengthy finish. Terrific stuff. 91-93 pts.
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Pop and pour at home to pair with some grilled prime NY Strips. Very dark in color. Black fruits with some leather or game on the nose. Similar palate with surprisingly fine tannins. This was open for business within 30 minutes, but was tasted again on night two after being opened and it was still singing. Excellent balance and finish.
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Normally like Ridge's Monte Bello and not so much the Estate Cabernet, but this cab is showing much like the Monte Bello. A big wine, it shows smooth tannins and a good dose of fruit for being so young. I will definitely let it rest 3-5 years. A knock out for the money!
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Ridge Tasting with Eric Baugher (State Line, Elkton MD): This was a big, big wine. Classic cab nose, pencil box, dark fruit. Deep color. Closed on the palate for the most part, dominated by the fine tannins which persist for a fairly long time. The fruit is there, lurking, but it took quite a bit of swirling to get it to peek from behind the curtain. Needs a minimum of 3-5 years and should hit the prime window at 7+.
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Tasted over 8 hours. Dense and tightly packed when opened. Rich, concentrated, red fruit driven, nice spicy notes with light oak showing. This is excellent and will easily last a dozen years or more... 92+
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Great nose with mint, black fruits, less depth than the monte bello but nearly as good; palate is full bodied, great balance, black fruit; medium finish. Just a superb value and an excellent cab, only fades in comparison to the superb monte bello. 91-92
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Go West tasting march 13 2015 (sheraton, stockholm, sweden): This was a lot of everything and a very good rich young cali cab. But compared to the monte bello 2012 this felt slightly clumsy and over oaked and forward. I am sure it will be a great wine when it has some time to settle down.
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Premier Cruz Trade Tasting (Saratoga): magenta, red, in the color. blackberry, cherry, plum, earth, spice, chocolate, oak, on the nose. high acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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2/25/2024 - MattB72 Likes this wine:
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1/6/2024 - larrybbaldwin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Hitting all the right notes with gorgeous aromatics and softened edges, it is perfect now
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12/26/2023 - Martin Redmond wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet with aromatic black and red fruit, mint, violet, pencil lead, and subtle cigar box aromas. On the palate it’s medium bodied, fresh and long with velvety round tannins and cassis, blackberry, black cherry flavors beautifully accented with savory menthol and subtle graphite notes. Long finish. Beautiful wine! Blend of 76% Cab/24% Merlot. 13.5% abv
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11/18/2023 - sfwinelover1 wrote: 91 Points
Somewhat spontaneous, and non-decanted, pull by my sis after the Haut Bailly at the end of our pizza-calzone evening. Light to medium notes of red currants, blackberries, red raspberries, and red and black cherries coming out more with air, oak and general woodiness, mixed ground spice, rocky minerality and a bit of pencil shavings. Medium ruby, light to medium bodied, light to medium legs. Powerful tannins and acidity, still pretty separate, no heat. Good complexity, VG intensity and persistence. I was a semi-regular drinker of this bottling in the past, but it’s been at least a decade since I’ve had more than a taste at one of Ridge’s tasting rooms, and was eager to try again. I was surprised at the austerity of this off the pour, not so much from this producer, which I like but is often on the spartan side of things, but because of this generally generous vintage and its age. Austere almost to the point of severe out of the bottle, this did open during the hour and a half of consumption, with more prominent red fruit notes and lots of earth and wood, much more of a companion to the prior HB, the earlier in the week Grattamacco and even last weekend’s RS than its closer geographic neighbor the Ovid. For my palate, this is much more of a food wine than a sipper, and alas, we’d basically finished dinner, and other TNs aside, I don’t think that this has hit its drinking window yet, is likely years away, and under any circumstances, needs prodigious air to be really enjoyable at this point. Just as drinking the CA cult producers from time to time helps me ground my palate as not quite in their bailiwick, some of my quaffs from the past 10 days tells me that there is very much another direction, and it can likewise go further than my preferences, and on this like so many other things, I’m somewhere in the mushy middle. Advise holding and hoping that this loosens its grip. 90-91+
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11/4/2023 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Pop’n green aromas. Chewy texture. Outstanding at pnp! Black fruit palate. Medium tannin, medium acid. No more coconut notes. Drink to 2040. I’d give this a 95 if I had to.
76Cab, 24Merlot, 19m in barrel, 2.5% water addition, egg white fining.great to the last drop. Drank over 2 hours.
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10/17/2023 - ProfAvi wrote: 92 Points
I bought a 6 x mixed case of this wine 2 x 2012, 13, 14.
Top notch provenance.
This was my second bottle of the 2012 and wow! what a difference between the two.
My first bottle earlier in the year was a rather one dimensional fruit bomb. Lovely but rather 'uninteresting'. This bottle was completely different. Deep colour, spicy blackcurrant, smooth and integrated tannins with a zip of acidity coming in at the end, elongating the crisp finish.
Lovely stuff.
Maybe the wine's the same but the drinker is in a different 'mood'. Who knows?
Drinking perfectly well now.
It paired well with a pork chop, saute potatoes and cavolo nero.
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10/14/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Sit down tasting. This had been open for 6-7 hours. Lots of layered flavors and aromas here, perhaps less density than I recall from most vintages. Still ever-so-slightly backward. Had a charming Bordeaux-like character.
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9/1/2023 - ssouth Likes this wine: 93 Points
2012 Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Montebello Vineyard
76% CS, 24% Merlot. Alc 13.5
Still dark and dense color
Pencil lead on the nose
Intense Dark fruit on the palate. Still moderate tannins but well integrated
Drinking very well
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8/26/2023 - der Schmecker Likes this wine:
Deep and serious wine. An experience. Time to uncork and drink up! Mountain fruit that has mellowed. Still wonderful, but not for too much longer. See previous tasting note for points.
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6/11/2023 - Force5 Likes this wine:
Plump, plummy, dark-fruited and medium-bodied, simple, a point. Nobody is gonna confuse this for Monte Bello. Opened this for my sister who is a big fan of CA cabernet. At least based on this bottle, I would not hold longer. I show one more in the cellar in CT but did not see it when pulling this, and need to look more closely.
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4/1/2023 - Chapel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank with neighbors . Full but mellow body. Smooth! Wow. What a great well aged wine
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2/1/2023 - signotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautifully pure dark fruit, herbal notes with dill and licorice, silky texture and good length. Great wine.
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1/23/2023 - Lord Marc wrote: 89 Points
We had two bottles, one was corked the other one was ok. It was full bodied with mild tannins, it is ready to drink. You could taste some blueberries, currant and mild smoke, I did notice a slight after taste. Will try again and see it it was me to this vintage.
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1/13/2023 - JS199 wrote: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully, tannins are light. Balanced Cabernet with plenty of time left.
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12/13/2022 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark ruby with garnet edges. Intense aromas of dark and red fruit, lilacs, mocha, loam, all blocked out in primary colors. On the palate, prominent red cherry fruit, very smooth medium to strong tannins, lovely sweet acids, medium body, low to medium alcohol (13.5%)). Long aromatic finish. Excellent with duck confit.
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11/14/2022 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is in a great spot for my tastes. Very balanced and the acidity plays well against the red fruit flavors. Drinking well now or can wait up to ~5yrs
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8/23/2022 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This seemed more “ready to go” than other previous bottles. Also more integrated.
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7/31/2022 - Winiac wrote: 93 Points
Red cherry preserve aromas and lush ripe fruit flavors with good focus and length. Solid and balanced structure.
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7/14/2022 - Conde Likes this wine: 93 Points
A beautiful bottle! Plenty of dark fruit left, but structure and complexity is getting the overhand. Blackcurrant, blueberry, licorice, violets, leather, oak, some ceder....
Very good length and although this is close to its peak in my opinion, there is plenty of life and years in it yet.
I had it with mufflon patties and a chanterell sauce.
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5/21/2022 - rjt986 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened the bottle, poured a glass and let it sit for a couple of hours….
Classic Ridge / Santa Cruz mountain eucalyptus on the nose.
The fruit is absolutely singing now. If you like your Ridge cabs with bright sweet fruit with just enough tannins to keep it from becoming a fruit bomb - drink up!
The Justin red and Rombauer zin - loving Mrs enjoyed this…
If you prefer the more rustic profile (like me), hold on for a few more years.
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5/15/2022 - andreel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely bottle - very balanced and elegant, blackcurrant fruit with delicate tannins. Not overly powerful and moderate alcohol level. Great with food.
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4/16/2022 - AWBryce wrote:
plum/cherry/blackberry, vanilla, great body and structure, long finish. should put on complexity in the next 10-15 years.
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3/25/2022 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark ruby, with a hint of garnet around the edges. On the nose, a canvas painted in primary colors of graphite, green pepper, blackberry, and lilacs, each distinctly separate but beautifully composed, with side notes of mocha and a very deft touch of oak. Sweet evolution of fruit on the palate, fresh black raspberry, strong acids, smoothly integrated tannins evolving into lovely aromatic back notes on the long finish.
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10/16/2021 - ABECellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
2nd bottle in 18 months. No decant prior to drinking but did slow ox in bottle for 2hrs. In retrospect a 1hr decant would have been best. Amazing bouquet from minute it was opened. Red fruit, tart, long finish. Really great wine and drinking well now. I can see this evolving for a few more years and will wait until 2022 for my next bottle.
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9/18/2021 - jamesabdavis wrote:
Delicious example of this wine, beautiful ripe fruity Cabernet character with a lick of oak. Quite alcoholic, and if I’d been drinking this at home I’d have chilled it a little. We were in a restaurant and it didn’t seem worth the bother: probably a mistake in retrospect but the wine was still great with an amazing hogget dish.
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9/11/2021 - OttawaB Likes this wine: 93 Points
no formal notes but I recall it was drinking fantastically
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9/4/2021 - Salute Likes this wine: 89 Points
A touch on the harsh side.
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8/22/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to last bottle showed better on day 2 versus day 1 (even with 2 hr decant on day 1). I guess this one would benefit from a few more years aging. I recently had the 2005 and 2008 which were both showing great.
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7/14/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank this over two nights by first transferring half of the bottle to an empty 375ml and then decanting the remaining half for later that night. On night 1 even with a couple hour decant this was a bit closed and I would score high 80’s. On night two everything was much better integrated and this was very smooth. I agree with the previous note that it was a bit acidic. For whatever reason it came together well on the second night.
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5/4/2021 - christyler wrote:
Really high in acid. Had a bit of a burn to it. Will sit on the others for a while.
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3/6/2021 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Much better than the one I had a few years ago, though still amazingly backward. This needs another five years really to open up. There is a Santa Cruz Mountains aspect to this wine, which is welcome - a kind of pucker dryness, though still too tightly wound even with decanting.
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1/31/2021 - darrenv Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs two hours minimum decant. Beautiful nose of dark fruits, minty eucalyptus, cinnamon-clove Christmas cake. Palate isn't as big, but is dark cherries. Good balance of acidity and fine tannin.
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1/20/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Iconic winery for an important day...
First things first - decant this wine for 2-4 hours or wait another 5-7 years. I did not give it sufficient air, and it was downright angry for the first hour I was sipping at it. It started to open up after that, but it was at the three hour mark when it finally unfurled, and the fruit emerged to balance the tannic structure. There's still obvious oak, but it also came into balance with time. As I had my last few sips it really did remind me of its big brother wine, but on a smaller scale. I left 1/3 of the bottle to check on over the next couple of evenings, and will develop a notional plan for how to handle the rest. It really was lovely once it opened up, it just needed a lot of time.
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12/30/2020 - wiscgrad wrote: 94 Points
Went down easy but fairly complex. Excellent new world bdx blend
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8/6/2020 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great cabernet fruit with cassis, some fresh blueberries, some pipe tobacco, coarsely ground black pepper and brilliant acidity and long finish with a medium body creating a feeling of an easy-drinking claret that is still not bashful about its Californian fruit. There is a grip and substance but it is sand paper elegant and ready to journey for another decade in your cellar if you so wish but also great with some grilled Black Onyx Entrecôte in the warm summer evening.
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8/1/2020 - iDrum4Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs an hour to open but it’s worth it. Purple hue that opens with violet, bay leaf and black fruit aromas. Black cherry and blueberry dominate on the front palate while graphite, cedar and allspice linger on a lasting finish. Well-balanced acidity/fruit in this smooth tannic full-bodied beauty.
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5/17/2020 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Corvin samples of the Estate Cab 2011, 2012 and 2016 after an inspiring websession with Eric Baugher of Ridge.
Very similar to 2016 on the nose. Not very developed yet as it shows a lot of cassis and fruit on the nose.
Softer tannin than 2016 but not to drink yet. Later tried it against the 2012 Leoville Poyferre which was a lot softer and more plummy.
This one had better structure or rather more of it.
Give it another 4-5 years. Will last longer up to 15 years of age. Great wine bought on release.
92p
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4/15/2020 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a wonderful wine! Grapes from the Monte Bello Vineyard in the Santa Cruz mountains that didn't make it into the Monte Bello designation. Oh well. Great grapes. Better price. 76% cabernet sauvignon. 24% merlot. Sun ripened, mountain fruit from steep terraces. Delicious. Honestly, this is a joy to drink.
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4/4/2020 - toddmk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Seemed a little bit brighter, not as deep and dark with slightly more heat than the 2013 we drank a couple weeks ago. Still good.
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3/29/2020 - CharleneK Likes this wine: 94 Points
I was worried, since I had Coravinned this bottle some time ago and today saw that it was leaking. Lucky me it tastes perfect And I am so glad I waited for the tannins to soften before opening it
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3/27/2020 - Slaz Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a terrific effort. Remarkable earthiness, much energy and restrain, and no excess opulence and ripeness whatsoever. Take a great St. Emillion and subtract any excess ripeness and richness of fruit and you would get a proxy of sorts (but not a perfect one, by any stretch). If you seek a typical over-the-top Napa Cab, keep looking elsewhere; for the rest of us this is a gem, especially at this price point. Not at its peak yet.
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3/26/2020 - Ceo wrote: 92 Points
Virtual tasting wine🍷🍷
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3/17/2020 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
Ridge has got this Cabernet bottling absolutely cracking. This replaced the Santa Cruz Mtns bottling in 2008. After 30 minutes in a Merlot decanter this was ready to go. The 2013 is equally as good. Cost $43. 92/93
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2/21/2020 - MIRick wrote:
One of 5 Cabernets drunk (4 Washington, 1 California) at a blind bag tasting. All were well received and were easily recognized as Cabernets. No one picked this one out as Calfornia.
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1/5/2020 - SonnyChiba wrote:
Notes same as last tasting a little over year ago. Excellent wine, wish I had more!
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12/31/2019 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Served with Wagyu Ribeye steak, roast asparagus, roast potatoes.
Opened 30 minutes prior to serving. Decanted 5 minutes prior to pouring.
Very dark ruby, saturated and consistent to rim. Looks young, yet has sediment showing up.
Great nose right from the decanting pour.
Tannin, acid, fruit in balance. Nice wine.
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12/15/2019 - timbobwhite Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decant for a fair amount of large sediment. No notes taken. Nose was closed on opening, very fragrant in two hours. Still young and primary, with a heavy dose of oak present (not unexpected). The 24% Merlot shows through as well. At end of last bit, tannins beginning to show again. This has a long life ahead yet.
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11/10/2019 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 93 Points
My last bottle of this vintage. Opened, but not decanted, at a NYC restaurant, for about an hour before we poured it. Out of the 4 Cabs we had, this was the overwhelming favorite for my wine group.
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9/11/2019 - mflesh wrote: 93 Points
This was a bottle consumed in an "American v French Oak" blind tasting and was paired with a 2012 Hourglass Blueline Cab. Stumped about 50% of people. Baby Bello in 100% American Oak, nose of black fruit, tobacco, a little herbal. Entered with good stiff oak astringency. Blackberry, tobacco leaf, oregano and basil notes. This wine was very balanced, and the finish of this wine still had quite a bit of stiff oak tannin but was very balanced and quite a bit more elegant than I expected it to be. Nice wine. The Hourglass definitely had more roasted notes and vanilla and toffee which gave the French Oak away to me. Vs. the Hourglass Blueline cab, this was my huckleberry.
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7/23/2019 - R Z Likes this wine: 93 Points
Linear finish and follow-through, perfectly satisfying, very little oak, well-done old-style bordeaux blend.
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7/21/2019 - Slaz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent Bordeaux-like blend that is several years away from its peak. Even after several hours of decanting, this begged for more cellaring, with much energy, earthy notes, red-berry notes, and some rustic tannins. Delightful stuff if you are not seeking opulence in your Cab blend.
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6/13/2019 - jhw425 wrote: 91 Points
Lots of pretty red fruits. Powdery tannins
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4/13/2019 - Tannic Monster Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just entering drinking window...will wait on the rest. Beautiful fruit with a slightly tart finish but not off putting. Will settle down with more time. Enjoyable now but will get better.
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3/25/2019 - BRR Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not decanted. Nice sweet fruit on top of a ton of leather and tobacco notes. The middle was hollow, though, so I think this could use time, although it was quite expressive. My wife and I were surprised at how leathery and Bdx-like this was in some ways, but with sweeter fruit. Very unique. Drink or hold.
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3/7/2019 - jrkennedy37 wrote:
I try to drink these about 6-7 years from vintage date and they're typically in the perfect window. This 2012 could use more time, though still excellent today. Needs another 2-3 years to fully unravel.
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2/17/2019 - Slaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Extra earthy and dry, with plenty of great acidity (but yet limited finish). Still a baby, maybe an awkward teenager at most.
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1/5/2019 - winejnky wrote: 90 Points
Leans toward blue and black fruit flavors; rich up front, it’s brimming with fruit but well balanced by structure. The finish is not there yet, it’s a bit harsh and clearly this needs more time to soften up to reach full potential. 90 today but could go higher.
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12/31/2018 - bambam wrote: 89 Points
This has more life left in it. Some pine, cedar and fainter blue fruits. Nice
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12/30/2018 - t_moderne wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour and served with food.
Dark purple color.
Nose offers black cherries and some oak notes.
Good depth of fruit flavors, with bright acidity to carry the fruit. Tannins are generally soft, making this approachable at 6 years of age.
Nice licorice root and tobacco notes on the finish.
A baby Monte Bello.
Delicious.
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12/28/2018 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had 3 2012 Napa Cabs. All were opened, but not decanted for over 30 minutes at a NYC restaurant. In order, we had, Ridge Cabnernet Sauvignon Estate, Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Vintner Select and the Lail Cabernet Sauvignon Blueprint. I really enjoyed the Ridge, although it was the 3rd favorite among my group. So much less fruit than the others, that it can be a tough comparison. But I loved the spice notes (cigar box cedar), and the subtle balance between the fruit and the tanin. Nice structure. Medium-plus finish.
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11/24/2018 - Gece Likes this wine:
Enjoyed this slightly late in the evening, so impressions aren't razor sharp, but good, cassis dominated fruit, good structure without being overly austere, some elegant green tones in the background.
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11/5/2018 - rieslinghoarder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful nose of blackberry, black currant, mint, and baking spice. Smooth tannins and black fruit flavors that undulate on the palate. Ends with a medium finish. Still has a good 5-10 years before reaching peak, but very enjoyable now.
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10/20/2018 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 93 Points
Notes from memory, but I recall it brought a floral nose, concentrated red and black fruit, cassis liquor, milk chocolate, and refined tannins. We did not drink this with food but was nice as an evening sipper. Drink after 2020. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 92.
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7/21/2018 - Bam_Man wrote: 93 Points
An attractive, almost opaque, dark magenta in color, lightening at the edge. Very pretty and powerful aromas of sweet baking spices, vanilla and crushed dark fruits on the nose. Full-bodied, yet elegant in weight and texture. There’s wonderful depth to the tangy blackberry and plum fruit here. Displays an almost piercing intensity on the front-palate with a lively acidity. The finish is long and quite tannic, featuring prominent notes of earth and spice. Very Bordeaux-like and quite impressive - especially for a second wine. Still a bit tight and tannic, this is just at the very beginning of its drinking window and has a long life ahead of it. Looking forward to trying this over-achiever again a couple of years from now.
50+5+13+17+8=93
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7/7/2018 - Slaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
There is meaningful improvement relative to my last tasting in 2/2017, but it's still not at its prime. One of the more energetic and earthy Cabs, with plenty of great acidity and still partially unintegrated tannins. True to the Ridge's style, this is restrained, without any excess ripeness or opulence. Lots of young plum notes on the palate. Likely to only much improve by 2020+.
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5/5/2018 - MattB72 wrote: 93 Points
Much more approachable than I thought at this age. And Really good wine on the second day.
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1/30/2018 - SonnyChiba wrote: 92 Points
92+ points.Very well balanced . Elegant and delicious wine. Good fruit and some sweetness but far from being too much. I like this style much better than a lot of Napa wines I have had recently. Perfect with prime rib.
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12/1/2017 - Ceo wrote: 92 Points
Just enough bite to hold up to pasta with red sauce!!
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9/17/2017 - ledocq wrote:
RIP: killed by the SF heatwave of September 2017. Alas.
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4/15/2017 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 91 Points
Very berry driven, cassis, graphite, sweet and sour blackberries. Great balance in the mouth but still primary. Went great with the lamb.
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3/3/2017 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark ruby. Warm melange of chocolate and blackberries on the nose, with nice base of oak. Deep core of sweet concentrated fruit on the palate with a delicate backing of acid, strong smooth tannin, aromatic dark berry notes in the long echoing finish. Great power and balance, a monumental wine. 50 + 18 + 18 + 9 = 95.
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3/1/2017 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for a good 40 minutes, much needed albeit what the wine needs its another 5 years of patience. Still a beautiful and elegant wine even at this ypung stage,
Dark fruited, light herby, decent level of sweet oak notes but they complement the wine and the wine owns the oak. Good weight on the palate, well ripe, well balanced and with a lively vitality. Really impressed here. 92
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2/28/2017 - Slaz wrote:
For Pete's sake, do not open until 2019+. Relative to my last tasting, in Jan. 2016, the wine remains severely restrained and shut down, with even primary flavors not yet coming together, not to mention the absence of any secondary notes. Decanting over several hours helps only marginally.
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2/26/2017 - Chris D wrote:
Drinking well, classic Ridge style Cab. Rich, not overbearing fruit. Tannins simmering down a bit. Elements starting to play in harmony, especially after an hour of air.
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1/21/2017 - Coupe 60 wrote: 93 Points
PnP and this was just outstanding right out of the bottle. pure red fruit, great balance. outstanding
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1/6/2017 - ecola Likes this wine: 92 Points
Earthy aromas lead the way with the red berry fruit coming in on the back end. Medium body with dominant secondary flavors of earth, mushroom, and minerality. The dark fruit gains intensity with air. Bright acidity and tight gripping tannins. Has the structure for the long haul. If tasted blind I would have guessed a Bordeaux.
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12/10/2016 - pipetree Does not like this wine:
No 13, pine tree, medium+ coating sandy tannin, vegetal on the palate, dry, medium acidity, medium+ alcohol, medium body. Ridge.
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10/1/2016 - darrenv Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic. I decanted it for two hours, probably didn't need to. The smell coming out of the decanter was beautiful. Blueberry, cassis, leather, pencil lead. Great wine right now.
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10/1/2016 - Cschall wrote: 91 Points
Blackberry & tobacco... probably a bit young, but I don't see this rating much higher if let to sit 5 years.
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7/30/2016 - DNAWineGuy Likes this wine:
N/A
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7/2/2016 - PT insurgent wrote:
Great nose of blackcurrant, plum, cedar, wood, oak, vanilla, coconut, spice, tobacco, earth. Very fresh acidity, youthful tannins. So delicious right now. Drink now and enjoy, drink 15 years from now and enjoy, the choice is yours.
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5/9/2016 - Mad Dog Mikey Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still an infant - deep dark inky, well balanced, has a long and beautiful life ahead, will wait 4+ years for the nxt bottle
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4/14/2016 - Dovberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
From restaurang during my Bachelor party. A real treat from my friends.
Ink in colour. Dark as night.
Tight, cold with excellent raw material (blueberries, black berries, dark chocolate, black tea, coconut oil, sweet liquorice, eucalyptos). Very young on the nose but still surprisingly open. Good level of oak.
Again tight on the palate with splashing fruit. Clean, elegant structure of the acid. Tannins are raw and wild but are balanced by the incredible fruit. Some eucalyptos in the end cools down my palate a little. Very long aftertaste.
What a wine this is! Hard to imagine how this will taste in 15-20 years and even harder to imagine how the Monte Bello -12 on magnum will taste in like 30-40 years.
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4/9/2016 - PT insurgent wrote:
Pronounced nose, notes of blackcurrant, plum, cherry, wood, cedar, toast, herbal, minty, eucalyptus, olive, smoky, earth.
Palate is med+ body, pronounced intensity, long finish, high tannin. Notes of black fruits, ripe black cherry, blackcurrant, olive, toasty, cedar, eucalyptus, sour cherry.
Really delicious wine.
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3/12/2016 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened, tried a glass, recorked and stored in the fridge for two weeks, this was just amazing! Deep and enticing fruit, but also a long and elegant freshness. The oaky nose was gone and in its stead was something beautiful with the promise of even more haunting greatness to come.
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2/17/2016 - John McCabe wrote: 90 Points
Good concentration, but a little green, slightly pruney. Will benefit from more time. Better on the 2nd day but I'd wait eight years before opening the next one.
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2/1/2016 - WineGold wrote:
Drank over two nights, and for some reason this wine didn't work at all. Nothing like our last bottle about five weeks ago. Very little fruit. Tons of oak, lots of acid, one dimensional. Corked? Sudden dumb phase? Bummer.
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1/29/2016 - Slaz Likes this wine:
Way too young now. Disjointed upon opening with a ton of oak on the palate, sizable tannins, and lots of acidity. One of the most acidic 2012 cabs I've tasted, which should bode well for cellaring. Also, very dry on the palate with minimal sugar. Should be really excellent in a few years but not sooner.
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12/25/2015 - WineGold wrote: 93 Points
Very nice Cabernet. Perfume, cassis, vanilla and oak on the nose. Blue and red fruit on palate. Ready to drink now (we decanted for about 60-90 minutes). Good for another decade easy.
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12/13/2015 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Not sure what, if anything has changed here, but the 2012 seems to me to be the most tightly coiled and full of potential young Estate Cab I've had from Ridge.
Clearly a very good wine now, every sip I have makes me sad that I didn't wait at least a decade more to open it up. All of the Ridge goodness you'd expect - the American oak is clear (and not yet integrated to my taste), real sour cherry backbone to the fruit - almost chianti-ish, fine tannins...
I would rate it 89 now but would expect a solid early to mid 90s showing were I to be able to wait (or found myself a time machine...)
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12/11/2015 - Pavan wrote: 92 Points
Dark concentrated wine. Needs a few more years in the bottle and the score should increase a notch.
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12/3/2015 - Helenachuck Likes this wine: 92 Points
My third time tasting this young wine. It is a deep ruby color, purple rim, opaque center and appears clear and bright. The nose offers varietal fruit, some lead pencil, cassis, perhaps mulberry. It is a very clean and pure Cabernet nose. On the palate, Cabernet essence is at the forefront. Dark fruits and tart berry, tightly wound with cleansing acidity. Deeper notes of tar and tobacco leaf appear on the mid-palate. Finish is long, fruity, bot taut and balanced. A new world wine that will also appeal to old world palates.
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10/30/2015 - austinbeeman- austinbeeman.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Black fruit with pleasantly dusty herbs. Pure black currant. Pure waves of rolling spice that grows with time. Not cheap, but great value for money. $50 at winery.
www.austinbeeman.com
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9/29/2015 - bobpsi Likes this wine:
Charity wine tasting. Bold nose of dark cherry, plums, earth/herb note and some spice. Creamy palate of tart cherry, blackberry, sandalwood and herbs.
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9/2/2015 - jhw425 wrote: 92 Points
Really good. Needed about an hour to open up. With air great dark fruits, blackberries and graphite notes. Needs time or air
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8/29/2015 - texaswinelover wrote:
Doesn't taste like the notes and reviews I've seen. Medium bodied, tart red fruited profile, distinctive herbaceous/minty/green notes that I always get with monte bello fruit. Plenty of acid and refined tannin. Nice minerality.
Almost wonder if my bottle is off.
Not bad or off putting just not like the notes I've read.
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8/23/2015 - wineotim wrote: 91 Points
Well structuered as usual, but a bit too "woody" for me....not oaky, you know what I mean. Good depth, nicely dry finish. Probably will not buy again.
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8/14/2015 - TashNYC wrote: 90 Points
Wine tasting in Healdsburg; 8/14/2015-8/15/2015: Fruit, spice, needs time. $50 retail at winery
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6/13/2015 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
Tasted at Ridge Vineyards. This was quite smooth and lighter than a Montebello. More cabernet than the old Santa Cruz Mtns bottlings. Very impressive especially for the price. These age well and it pays off if you can wait.
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5/16/2015 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Pop and pour at home. Nose shows considerable wood. Coconut oil, robust black fruit. There's substantial oak at the get go, baking spice, menthol, pepper. Sweet purple-ness. Palate is loaded, the bigger, more extracted, more oaked side of Ridge Estate Cab. Give this some time, drink again in 2018.
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5/16/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Tasting (Cupertino, CA): Blackcurrant and mint, menthol; palate has good concentration, black fruit, mint. Very nice, superb value. 92
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4/30/2015 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Finishing up the remnants of a bottle TLV opened the prior evening. Aromas of black cherry, black currant jam, boysenberry and Asian spices with a subtle incense note in the background. Flavors of blackberry and plum with a lengthy finish. Terrific stuff. 91-93 pts.
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4/29/2015 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour at home to pair with some grilled prime NY Strips. Very dark in color. Black fruits with some leather or game on the nose. Similar palate with surprisingly fine tannins. This was open for business within 30 minutes, but was tasted again on night two after being opened and it was still singing. Excellent balance and finish.
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4/26/2015 - Lee Fining wrote: 91 Points
Normally like Ridge's Monte Bello and not so much the Estate Cabernet, but this cab is showing much like the Monte Bello. A big wine, it shows smooth tannins and a good dose of fruit for being so young. I will definitely let it rest 3-5 years. A knock out for the money!
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4/20/2015 - lockestep Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ridge Tasting with Eric Baugher (State Line, Elkton MD): This was a big, big wine. Classic cab nose, pencil box, dark fruit. Deep color. Closed on the palate for the most part, dominated by the fine tannins which persist for a fairly long time. The fruit is there, lurking, but it took quite a bit of swirling to get it to peek from behind the curtain. Needs a minimum of 3-5 years and should hit the prime window at 7+.
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4/4/2015 - signotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted over 8 hours. Dense and tightly packed when opened. Rich, concentrated, red fruit driven, nice spicy notes with light oak showing. This is excellent and will easily last a dozen years or more... 92+
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3/15/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Great nose with mint, black fruits, less depth than the monte bello but nearly as good; palate is full bodied, great balance, black fruit; medium finish. Just a superb value and an excellent cab, only fades in comparison to the superb monte bello. 91-92
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3/15/2015 - Omar Khayyam wrote:
Go West tasting march 13 2015 (sheraton, stockholm, sweden): This was a lot of everything and a very good rich young cali cab. But compared to the monte bello 2012 this felt slightly clumsy and over oaked and forward. I am sure it will be a great wine when it has some time to settle down.
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10/28/2014 - affordableCollector wrote: 93 Points
Premier Cruz Trade Tasting (Saratoga): magenta, red, in the color. blackberry, cherry, plum, earth, spice, chocolate, oak, on the nose. high acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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