Really, really young in a way that's not easy to assess for me at the moment. Black fruit, really tannic. Not as long as you might expect on the palate, but perhaps it's simply profoundly closed.
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Super tight, slightly plummy, cassis, anise, bright red fruit, menthol, and cocoa. Lush full body and well structured, quite deep and dense; long maybe warmer vintage than others but will benefit with 3-5+ more years or lots of air. A long life ahead and upside from here.
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A Ridge Tahoe Weekend; 6/29/2023-7/2/2023 (Edgewood Resort): Really fun to get to try this. Our wedding year wine. We recently purchased a larger format of it which based on this tasting we probably won’t open till our 50th anniversary. It is very young and pretty though. A bit more of a minty flavor to it. Darker fruits. Well balanced. All MBs are made with whole berry fermentation but fully destemmed.
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Young wine and this bottle was very tight in smell and taste, better on day two. Structure is maybe ahead of fruit now. Everything is there for a long MB life.
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First time trying the Monte Bello and unfortunately just not my style. Reminds me of left bank Bourdeaux, which needs at least 15 years of age to be interesting. Medium body and good amount of acid. Still good and I would drink again if someone else is buying but not something I will seek out, especially at this price point.
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From 375ml decanted for 2 hours. Some sediment. Tastes of red fruit like red cherry and red currant as well as some blueberry. Notes of tea, graphite and earth. Prominent acidity. Prominent velvety tannins. Needs many more years.
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Opened for 3 hours. I am coming back to this after a bit of time. Color is deep garnet/purple. On the nose: Plum, dark chocolate, espresso and cassis. On the palate: Plum, cassis, graphite, dark chocolate, a bit of green pepper. This is just a fabulous bottle of wine. It’s full of flavor and elegance. Silky mouthfeel and still very young. I also like the restrained alcohol level. This is a good wine. I think score will go up with time.
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From a 375ml. Amazing wine. Left bank nose and presentation. Mostly very young and primary at this point, but already showing some more. Elegant and balanced. Has a long, wonderful finish. Very classy wine. Amazing on its own and also lovely with food (likely would be perfect with steak). This is incredible and has tons of time left. I'll open my next one in 5 or so years.
Finally able to see family after nearly one year of Covid restrictions. And to celebrate a recent engagement. Pulled out a 2013 and 2015 as a reward. A little early for both but fantastic overall.
2013 was a little uneven at first, but decanted for 1 hour. Wonderful, heady bouquet. 95
2015 was smooth and elegant from the start. 94
Won't touch again for a few more years.
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Thanks to Phil for opening bottle. Decanted for six hours. Very restrained fruit, moderate acidity closed tight and tannic. Next day not much change strong hints of tea. Needs many years of cellar time
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Drank out of double magnum. Decanted and aerated for an hour and drank over 3 hours with the wine getting better and better as the evening progressed. Blackish ruby red. Nose of dark red fruits, red and black berries and vanilla oak. Very forward cabernet fruit on the palate, extremely well crafted wine that will only get better with more age. Tannins very velvety but quite present however tempered by the power of the fruit. A crowd pleaser finishes long.
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Young and hedonistic nose with red fruit like cassis, herbal tones, some smoke and graphite. Tight, powerful and deeply packed, this wine needs 5 years more before I would try again. The score reflects the wine today but has the staffing to be 94-95+
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Way too young. Decanted for a couple hours. Nose was great, dark fruit and mineral. Tannins are in the background and come in near the end. If you have any, wait at least a few years. It ended up getting enough air that it opened nicely. Very lush and delicious wine, will be great in 3-5 years
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This is such an elegant, beautifully made wine. Nose shows notes of cassis, anise, eucalyptus, and some smoke. Palate is showing round tannins that are starting to integrate as well as great lift from bright acidity. Such purity and finesse in this wine; it’s almost a shame to drink this now but it’s so good. I think with another 5-10 years of bottle age this will be even more incredible.
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375ml. Deep ruby fading to garnet. A savory, succulent nose, giving off charred meat, Italian spices and underpinnings of vanilla. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine immediately shows a refreshing acidity and light sour cherry, fading to light leather and black pepper. Tannins are present but surprisingly mellow. A truly pleasant wine that goes down all too easily.
That said, the wine is drinking beyond its age. Given the savoriness, muted fruit, and (to a lesser extent) the color, I would have pegged this wine at a decade old had I blind tasted it. Maybe the aging accelerated slightly due to the small format? Even if so, it’s showing older than would be expected. Interesting and enjoyable nonetheless.
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This is very young and very good. Plums, cassis , dark chocolate. Very luxurious mouthfeel. Pure class . Monte Bello is my favorite American wine. This vintage is exceptional. I have case and I won’t open another one for at least a year . A must to try.
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Tasted after it was first opened so it was a little closed on the nose, but I could tell it would be something special. Dark fruit, dusty cocoa powder, hints of smoked meat and underbrush. On the palate, I detect plenty of tannins, but they're well-integrated -- and the fruit starts to show through a bit. The finish is long and layered.
Hard to put a score on it now, feels like there's a lot more to come.
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Bjørnebær og blåbær, litt krutt; stor konsentrasjon, lang, fin balanse, frisk, kraftig tannin, strukturert. Flott vin, men et kraftig stykke bak førstevekstene i BdX. Svært ung.
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Dark ruby to purple colour, this has to be one of my favorite vintages of Monte Bello I have had in recent years. There is so much going on, yet from this age, it is already drinking so well. For those who have drunk Monte Bello both young and old you know just like Burgundy that if it is drinking well now then it will improve significantly over the coming years. Aromas of concentrated black fruits, cassis and dark plum along with a little graphite and black olive open up to full-bodied powerhouse which despite its power had a seductive elegance to it with dark fruit, liquorice, black pepper, mocha and velvety tannins. The finish was fresh, rich and long. One for the cellar. A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc aged in majority new American Oak for 16 months.
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Up the PCH; 6/4/2019-6/16/2019 (Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Paso Robles, Napa, and Willamette): Tasted at Lytton Springs - surprise pour! Ended up buying a 375ml to enjoy at the hotel later in the evening. This is the real deal folks. What a beautiful, elegant, dusty, complex wine. The winemakers blind taste all the lots and then blend based on the best barrels selected and it shows. I joined the club in advance of the 2018 futures, but unfortunately was not offered any. Will be looking forward to getting the 2019s onward! 95+++
Nose exhibits mostly dark macerated fruit with a touch of VA (doesn’t take away from the wine but it’s there). Full bodied and round on the palate. This appears to be heavily polished by time in barrel. Tannins creep up on the back end and there is some acidity but wow this is a fruit forward style.
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Off the list at Coles, decanted one hour. Loads of violet and black fruit. Full-bodied and structured, with black fruit, black cherry, and floral elements. Long finish. Balanced. Way too early, stating the obvious, but it's already one of the best young Monte Bellos I've tasted.
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An incredible textural experience, silky and rich, with elegant tannins and a vibrant raciness. Aromatically expressive, perhaps scheduled for a dumb phase soon, with gobs of spice and dark fruit. Not there today but has the potential to be the finest Monta Bello I've ever enjoyed. Drink starting 2029. (Tasted at winery)
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Bay Area Wine Tour; 1/11/2019-1/15/2019 (Bay Area, CA): Classic rich Bordeaux blend on the nose. Tobacco, leather, plums, beef. Strong tannins but good balance and nice acid. Long finish. Feels like it needs another ten years, though. Who has that kind of time??
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Already delicious despite its youth. It has an almost floral nose which continued to evolve in the glass. On the palate it has a good balance of acidity and tannin. Very drinkable. Tasted alongside the 07 and 06 Monte Bellos.
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at tasting room. dark inky violet color. Nose dark fruits with hint of pyrazines. Palate brooding, great depth of fruit. Still young and primary but drinkable in a very generous way. 92 pts with obvious upside.
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77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Avg. 50-yr-old vines. 95% American oak, 5% French. Despite its youth the deep, rich fruit is packing plenty now. This is astonishingly fresh and airy, medium-plus leathery tannin, high acid. Lots in store here. Drinking surprisingly well now but I wouldn't touch this again for 10 years. $215.
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The 2015 Monte Bello is another brilliant wine from the team at Ridge Vineyards, as this wine comes from a wonderful growing season, which certainly reflects in the quality. Composed of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc this instantly begins to impress with its seductive aromatics of ripe blackberries and cassis woven together with spices, graphite and roasted coffee which all take shape in the glass. On the palate this possesses a gorgeous rich velvety texture with beautifully integrated tannins. It continues to impress with its incredible complex flavors and beautifully concentrated fruit, which is balanced by lovely underlying acidity that makes it nearly impossible to resist, even at this youthful age. The 2015 Monte Bello has it all, and while this is already utterly fascinating, it will only prove to become even more compelling over time.
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Tasted at Ridge event, something particularly different with this MB vintage - notably a fresh tropical punch (banana, mango, etc) is in there alongside what is noted by other reviewers (tar, berries, spices, etc). It provides a lush juiciness that keeps drawing my palate in, I will never forget the taste.
Unusually ready to drink today, will age and reveal more with years. By contrast the '15 Ridge Estate Cab is a completely traditional Bdx profile.
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SLDS August 2018: Cranberry, vanilla, cherry, chocolate and redcurrant. Great fruit flavour is balanced by fine tannic structure. Very good lift and palate presence.
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Ridge Monte Bello Components Tasting (Ridge Monte Bello, Cupertino): Aromatic, balanced, black fruit; palate is medium-plus bodied, medium-plus acidity, medium tannins, well balanced, red cherry fruit; medium-long finish. A superb effort, surprisingly drinkable now but needs time. 92
Aroma: graphite, cinnamon, blackberry, tobacco, fresh herbs. Palate: spicy blackberry and black cherry flavors with green vegetal and mineral notes. Very nicely balanced. Fairly acidic with moderate structure and length. Good to very good. May continue to improve.
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Tasted at the 2017 1st assemblage event. Dill, coconut, caramel and espresso on the nose. Ripe, rich, full and spicy palate, more powerful than a typical MB. The palate does show some tart, juicy elements with tannins that are very fine and persistently teeth coating. Finishes long, spicy and juicy.
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Tasted from barrel sample. Aromas of green peppers, graphite, vanilla. Quite green on the palate with good body and richness. Flavors of rich red berries, roasted meat, chocolate, graphite and green peppers. Very young and tannic. Don't touch for five years, but then the rewards may be considerable.
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2016 Bassin's California Barrel Tasting (Mandarin Oriental D.C.): First time trying any Monte Bello's and here I get to compare 2013-2015. All similar especially as my notes here are pretty poor. A bit unique relative to the Napa cabs, reminds me more of Alexander Valley. Some savory and minty components. Quite nice overall. Preferred 15 the most, then 14, then 13 although all very close. These will obviously evolve over a long time so I really don't have experience to judge these well now. Let's call this one 91-93.
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Ridge Monte Bello Tasting (Ridge Monte Bello, Cupertino): 1st assemblage: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% merlot, 9% petit Verdot, 7% cabernet franc. Nice rounded nose with red and black fruit, slight olive, good complex nose with depth; palate is full bodied, smooth approachable tannins, medium alcohol, medium-plus acid; medium-long finish. Excellent. 92
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12/3/2023 - englishman's claret wrote:
Really, really young in a way that's not easy to assess for me at the moment. Black fruit, really tannic. Not as long as you might expect on the palate, but perhaps it's simply profoundly closed.
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8/12/2023 - mchern02 wrote: 93 Points
PnP out of 375 and followed over 3 hours
Super tight, slightly plummy, cassis, anise, bright red fruit, menthol, and cocoa. Lush full body and well structured, quite deep and dense; long maybe warmer vintage than others but will benefit with 3-5+ more years or lots of air. A long life ahead and upside from here.
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6/30/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
A Ridge Tahoe Weekend; 6/29/2023-7/2/2023 (Edgewood Resort): Really fun to get to try this. Our wedding year wine. We recently purchased a larger format of it which based on this tasting we probably won’t open till our 50th anniversary. It is very young and pretty though. A bit more of a minty flavor to it. Darker fruits. Well balanced. All MBs are made with whole berry fermentation but fully destemmed.
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5/9/2023 - deadwax Likes this wine:
Young wine and this bottle was very tight in smell and taste, better on day two. Structure is maybe ahead of fruit now. Everything is there for a long MB life.
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4/6/2023 - catowne1 wrote: 95 Points
Loads of potential, but still super young.
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6/27/2022 - msf6msf6 Likes this wine: 92 Points
First time trying the Monte Bello and unfortunately just not my style. Reminds me of left bank Bourdeaux, which needs at least 15 years of age to be interesting. Medium body and good amount of acid. Still good and I would drink again if someone else is buying but not something I will seek out, especially at this price point.
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6/19/2022 - Don Kaplan wrote:
Drink after 2025
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3/2/2022 - ralaspech wrote: 92 Points
From 375ml decanted for 2 hours. Some sediment. Tastes of red fruit like red cherry and red currant as well as some blueberry. Notes of tea, graphite and earth. Prominent acidity. Prominent velvety tannins. Needs many more years.
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2/27/2022 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opened for 3 hours. I am coming back to this after a bit of time. Color is deep garnet/purple. On the nose: Plum, dark chocolate, espresso and cassis. On the palate: Plum, cassis, graphite, dark chocolate, a bit of green pepper. This is just a fabulous bottle of wine. It’s full of flavor and elegance. Silky mouthfeel and still very young. I also like the restrained alcohol level. This is a good wine. I think score will go up with time.
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2/26/2022 - yarnon wrote: 95 Points
Distinct and recognizable Ridge Montebello.
Fruity, high acid, smooth tannins. Went well on its own, and with leg of lamb
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11/30/2021 - rbfleming Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still wonderful, and will continue to improve for a decade or more.
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10/20/2021 - trumpet60201 Likes this wine: 98 Points
From a 375ml. Amazing wine. Left bank nose and presentation. Mostly very young and primary at this point, but already showing some more. Elegant and balanced. Has a long, wonderful finish. Very classy wine. Amazing on its own and also lovely with food (likely would be perfect with steak). This is incredible and has tons of time left. I'll open my next one in 5 or so years.
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6/17/2021 - Niagara wrote: 88 Points
This one has all the subtlety of a punch in the mouth. Too much of everything at this stage. Needs many years — perhaps decades — to settle down.
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6/5/2021 - rgidwani Likes this wine: 94 Points
Good but needs 4-5 more years.
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3/22/2021 - Renzloh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Finally able to see family after nearly one year of Covid restrictions. And to celebrate a recent engagement. Pulled out a 2013 and 2015 as a reward. A little early for both but fantastic overall.
2013 was a little uneven at first, but decanted for 1 hour. Wonderful, heady bouquet. 95
2015 was smooth and elegant from the start. 94
Won't touch again for a few more years.
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3/6/2021 - Handy1 wrote: 89 Points
Thanks to Phil for opening bottle. Decanted for six hours. Very restrained fruit, moderate acidity closed tight and tannic. Next day not much change strong hints of tea. Needs many years of cellar time
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3/3/2021 - Alex Brogan wrote: 95 Points
Really intense, knocks your socks off with big mint and Cedar. The fruit is well restrained. The finish is very long too. Really Bordeaux in style.
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1/15/2021 - the player Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank out of double magnum. Decanted and aerated for an hour and drank over 3 hours with the wine getting better and better as the evening progressed. Blackish ruby red. Nose of dark red fruits, red and black berries and vanilla oak. Very forward cabernet fruit on the palate, extremely well crafted wine that will only get better with more age. Tannins very velvety but quite present however tempered by the power of the fruit. A crowd pleaser finishes long.
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12/3/2020 - mchern02 wrote: 92 Points
2 Hour Decant
Young and hedonistic nose with red fruit like cassis, herbal tones, some smoke and graphite. Tight, powerful and deeply packed, this wine needs 5 years more before I would try again. The score reflects the wine today but has the staffing to be 94-95+
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10/9/2020 - jonmartin1520 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Way too young. Decanted for a couple hours. Nose was great, dark fruit and mineral. Tannins are in the background and come in near the end. If you have any, wait at least a few years. It ended up getting enough air that it opened nicely. Very lush and delicious wine, will be great in 3-5 years
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6/15/2020 - Sfflyer123 wrote: 92 Points
This is simply too young. It is closed and too tight. Powerful tannins. I would not touch this for another 10-15 years at the very least.
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5/21/2020 - streethawk Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is such an elegant, beautifully made wine. Nose shows notes of cassis, anise, eucalyptus, and some smoke. Palate is showing round tannins that are starting to integrate as well as great lift from bright acidity. Such purity and finesse in this wine; it’s almost a shame to drink this now but it’s so good. I think with another 5-10 years of bottle age this will be even more incredible.
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2/12/2020 - johnnylaw1222 Likes this wine: 94 Points
375ml. Deep ruby fading to garnet. A savory, succulent nose, giving off charred meat, Italian spices and underpinnings of vanilla. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine immediately shows a refreshing acidity and light sour cherry, fading to light leather and black pepper. Tannins are present but surprisingly mellow. A truly pleasant wine that goes down all too easily.
That said, the wine is drinking beyond its age. Given the savoriness, muted fruit, and (to a lesser extent) the color, I would have pegged this wine at a decade old had I blind tasted it. Maybe the aging accelerated slightly due to the small format? Even if so, it’s showing older than would be expected. Interesting and enjoyable nonetheless.
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1/23/2020 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is very young and very good. Plums, cassis , dark chocolate. Very luxurious mouthfeel. Pure class . Monte Bello is my favorite American wine. This vintage is exceptional. I have case and I won’t open another one for at least a year . A must to try.
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1/1/2020 - Vinofitz wrote:
Still young and unstructured. Tannins are sharp and forward. decanted for three hours (in bottle) but not much impact...needs a few more years...
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11/28/2019 - rbfleming Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely. It can easily weather another 20 years, and I hope I can keep my hands off it for some of that. Cherries, complex tannins, very nice.
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10/26/2019 - OaktownRush Likes this wine:
Tasted after it was first opened so it was a little closed on the nose, but I could tell it would be something special. Dark fruit, dusty cocoa powder, hints of smoked meat and underbrush. On the palate, I detect plenty of tannins, but they're well-integrated -- and the fruit starts to show through a bit. The finish is long and layered.
Hard to put a score on it now, feels like there's a lot more to come.
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7/6/2019 - LWI wrote: 93 Points
Bjørnebær og blåbær, litt krutt; stor konsentrasjon, lang, fin balanse, frisk, kraftig tannin, strukturert. Flott vin, men et kraftig stykke bak førstevekstene i BdX. Svært ung.
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6/28/2019 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark ruby to purple colour, this has to be one of my favorite vintages of Monte Bello I have had in recent years. There is so much going on, yet from this age, it is already drinking so well. For those who have drunk Monte Bello both young and old you know just like Burgundy that if it is drinking well now then it will improve significantly over the coming years. Aromas of concentrated black fruits, cassis and dark plum along with a little graphite and black olive open up to full-bodied powerhouse which despite its power had a seductive elegance to it with dark fruit, liquorice, black pepper, mocha and velvety tannins. The finish was fresh, rich and long. One for the cellar. A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc aged in majority new American Oak for 16 months.
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6/21/2019 - coremill wrote:
All fruit and oak right now. Can be drunk now for its puppy fat but the real charms are many years away.
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6/8/2019 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Up the PCH; 6/4/2019-6/16/2019 (Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Paso Robles, Napa, and Willamette): Tasted at Lytton Springs - surprise pour! Ended up buying a 375ml to enjoy at the hotel later in the evening. This is the real deal folks. What a beautiful, elegant, dusty, complex wine. The winemakers blind taste all the lots and then blend based on the best barrels selected and it shows. I joined the club in advance of the 2018 futures, but unfortunately was not offered any. Will be looking forward to getting the 2019s onward! 95+++
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6/5/2019 - MeMyself&I wrote: 96 Points
Tasted at the Lytton Springs location. Mouth wateringly good, No tannins discernible. Not sweet, not overly abundant fruit.
Good stuff.
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5/20/2019 - ONEFIVE wrote:
Nose exhibits mostly dark macerated fruit with a touch of VA (doesn’t take away from the wine but it’s there). Full bodied and round on the palate. This appears to be heavily polished by time in barrel. Tannins creep up on the back end and there is some acidity but wow this is a fruit forward style.
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5/11/2019 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Off the list at Coles, decanted one hour. Loads of violet and black fruit. Full-bodied and structured, with black fruit, black cherry, and floral elements. Long finish. Balanced. Way too early, stating the obvious, but it's already one of the best young Monte Bellos I've tasted.
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4/6/2019 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 99 Points
Black fruit, red fruit, cedar, tobacco, chocolate finishes with tight tannins. Super complex. A+
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3/24/2019 - rlove wrote: 97 Points
An incredible textural experience, silky and rich, with elegant tannins and a vibrant raciness. Aromatically expressive, perhaps scheduled for a dumb phase soon, with gobs of spice and dark fruit. Not there today but has the potential to be the finest Monta Bello I've ever enjoyed. Drink starting 2029. (Tasted at winery)
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1/14/2019 - tak4 wrote: 92 Points
Bay Area Wine Tour; 1/11/2019-1/15/2019 (Bay Area, CA): Today, it's showing a little more blackberry-anise forward. Tomato, too. More open than last time. Definitely needs 8-10 years.
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1/12/2019 - tak4 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bay Area Wine Tour; 1/11/2019-1/15/2019 (Bay Area, CA): Classic rich Bordeaux blend on the nose. Tobacco, leather, plums, beef. Strong tannins but good balance and nice acid. Long finish. Feels like it needs another ten years, though. Who has that kind of time??
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12/15/2018 - nihraguk Likes this wine: 96 Points
Already delicious despite its youth. It has an almost floral nose which continued to evolve in the glass. On the palate it has a good balance of acidity and tannin. Very drinkable. Tasted alongside the 07 and 06 Monte Bellos.
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10/22/2018 - EMichels wrote: 90 Points
Great build; Delicious interest
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10/22/2018 - fred o. Likes this wine:
at tasting room.
dark inky violet color. Nose dark fruits with hint of pyrazines. Palate brooding, great depth of fruit. Still young and primary but drinkable in a very generous way. 92 pts with obvious upside.
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10/20/2018 - Benj wrote: 94 Points
77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Avg. 50-yr-old vines. 95% American oak, 5% French. Despite its youth the deep, rich fruit is packing plenty now. This is astonishingly fresh and airy, medium-plus leathery tannin, high acid. Lots in store here. Drinking surprisingly well now but I wouldn't touch this again for 10 years. $215.
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10/17/2018 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 98 Points
The 2015 Monte Bello is another brilliant wine from the team at Ridge Vineyards, as this wine comes from a wonderful growing season, which certainly reflects in the quality. Composed of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc this instantly begins to impress with its seductive aromatics of ripe blackberries and cassis woven together with spices, graphite and roasted coffee which all take shape in the glass. On the palate this possesses a gorgeous rich velvety texture with beautifully integrated tannins. It continues to impress with its incredible complex flavors and beautifully concentrated fruit, which is balanced by lovely underlying acidity that makes it nearly impossible to resist, even at this youthful age. The 2015 Monte Bello has it all, and while this is already utterly fascinating, it will only prove to become even more compelling over time.
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10/3/2018 - aero Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at Ridge event, something particularly different with this MB vintage - notably a fresh tropical punch (banana, mango, etc) is in there alongside what is noted by other reviewers (tar, berries, spices, etc). It provides a lush juiciness that keeps drawing my palate in, I will never forget the taste.
Unusually ready to drink today, will age and reveal more with years. By contrast the '15 Ridge Estate Cab is a completely traditional Bdx profile.
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9/8/2018 - CJM wrote: 96 Points
Clear, deep garnet with no rim browning. Leather, tar, black plum. Low acids, medium to high tannins. Chocolate. Medium balanced finish. Release event
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8/1/2018 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
SLDS August 2018: Cranberry, vanilla, cherry, chocolate and redcurrant. Great fruit flavour is balanced by fine tannic structure. Very good lift and palate presence.
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3/22/2018 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just got this in today. Loads of baking spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice. A little heat cause its so young. Really smooth for a 2015.
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3/11/2018 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Components Tasting (Ridge Monte Bello, Cupertino): Aromatic, balanced, black fruit; palate is medium-plus bodied, medium-plus acidity, medium tannins, well balanced, red cherry fruit; medium-long finish. A superb effort, surprisingly drinkable now but needs time. 92
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3/10/2018 - kosinski wrote:
Aroma: graphite, cinnamon, blackberry, tobacco, fresh herbs.
Palate: spicy blackberry and black cherry flavors with green vegetal and mineral notes. Very nicely balanced. Fairly acidic with moderate structure and length. Good to very good. May continue to improve.
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3/10/2018 - llink wrote: 94 Points
Tasted at the 2017 1st assemblage event. Dill, coconut, caramel and espresso on the nose. Ripe, rich, full and spicy palate, more powerful than a typical MB. The palate does show some tart, juicy elements with tannins that are very fine and persistently teeth coating. Finishes long, spicy and juicy.
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5/21/2016 - kosinski wrote:
Tasted from barrel sample. Aromas of green peppers, graphite, vanilla. Quite green on the palate with good body and richness. Flavors of rich red berries, roasted meat, chocolate, graphite and green peppers. Very young and tannic. Don't touch for five years, but then the rewards may be considerable.
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5/14/2016 - yeti575rider wrote: 92 Points
2016 Bassin's California Barrel Tasting (Mandarin Oriental D.C.): First time trying any Monte Bello's and here I get to compare 2013-2015. All similar especially as my notes here are pretty poor. A bit unique relative to the Napa cabs, reminds me more of Alexander Valley. Some savory and minty components. Quite nice overall. Preferred 15 the most, then 14, then 13 although all very close. These will obviously evolve over a long time so I really don't have experience to judge these well now. Let's call this one 91-93.
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3/20/2016 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 88 Points
Ridge Monte Bello component tasting (and a Meursault!) (Ridge Vineyards, Santa Cruz, CA): Tight. Reticent blackcurrant with green olive herbaceousness.
Elevated acid and high tannin.
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3/20/2016 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 90 Points
Ridge Monte Bello component tasting (and a Meursault!) (Ridge Vineyards, Santa Cruz, CA): This is beautiful! Aromatic and complex. Blackcurrant juice, candied jalapeño with mint.
m body, m+ alcohol (13.6%), elevated acid and medium tannins. Great concentration of flavor.
I wish they would bottle this!
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3/20/2016 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Tasting (Ridge Monte Bello, Cupertino): 1st assemblage: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% merlot, 9% petit Verdot, 7% cabernet franc. Nice rounded nose with red and black fruit, slight olive, good complex nose with depth; palate is full bodied, smooth approachable tannins, medium alcohol, medium-plus acid; medium-long finish. Excellent. 92
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