90 mins in the decanter yielded a pleasing, though young, wine. This has the stuffing to get through the end of the decade in great shape. We followed this fine for 4 hours and it was consistently better than the last sip. Fresh blackberry, cassis, oak, pencil savings, and firm long tannin. Next bottle in 2030.
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Decanted off sediment and carafed for about half an hour afterward. Dark clear ruby. Smelled black cherry, a tiny bit of CS cassis, leather, vanilla, tobacco, pencil shavings; the taste was intense on the fruit but with the other elements showing in the background. Semi-resolved tannin and good acidity balance the fruit, not rounded but not young medium bodied mouthfeel; on the whole it feels pretty seamless. Medium-plus finish on the fruit that eventually gets down to pencil shavings.
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Excellent for the price, it’s like a rich Bordeaux. If I was drinking this blind I could guess a more opulent style Bordeaux , it is not overdone by any means. Hitting the spot especially in the $50 range
Edit: Day 2 this is an alcoholic hot mess on the nose, get a rubbing alcohol, the palate tastes fine but I cannot get past the nose. quite a difference from day 1.
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Beautiful medium bodied cab. Black cherry, cigar box, wet stone flavors, with earthy tannins and medium + acidity. Drinkable now but believe it will be a lite smoother in a few years.
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Consistent with previous note (April 2022). Rich, not too much oak, and just enough tannins to suggest it has a long shelf life. I will revisit with another 2018 later this year or next. I’ve now acquired some Monte Bellos and can’t wait for the day I can open one. Expectations are high following the quality of the Estate Cab.
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3 hour S/O drank over 2 days. Better on day 2. Dark purple, black currants, dark cherry, blackberry, and plum. Fruit forward and smooth mid-palate with medium concentration. Background spice, cocoa, light tannins. A nice wine to enjoy when looking for a wine late afternoon.
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Double decanted, then poured around an hour later. This could have benefited from more air. Very dark, saturated plum color. Black and blueberry on the nose and palate, and a bit too woody at this juncture. Unsurprisingly, still pretty tannic, so best with food or in a few years.
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“Opulence. I has it.” As I drank this over two nights I couldn’t get this line out of my head. This is rich, and concentrated. It began with strong, intense black fruits with a hint of cedar and tobacco. Almost overwhelming in flavor. The second night the fruit faded to the back and cigar box, tobacco, and wood came to the forefront. I think this needs another year to mellow out and so highly agree with the drink window listed here. Otherwise drink with a hefty ribeye or equivalent.
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At Snake River Grill - helen had the ossobucco and I had the branzino. Very good wine! Just very balanced fruit and weight (medium). This always is a classic. Good length and can live 10+ years.
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A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot & 1% Petit Verdot.
Decanted an hour but should of done maybe two. Cassis, smoked meat, blackberry, dried herbs, chocolate covered espresso beans, very pronounced oak, leather arm chair that is in a cigar smoking lounge.
Delicious now - but this baby brother to Monte Bello needs a few more years to hit it's stride.
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BYOB dinner NOTK (Supernova hotel, Rotterdam): [Tasted blind] Pretty fruity with black fruit, black currant, graphite, pencil shaving, apple syrup. Medium+ acidity, high tannins, long finish
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Tasting note from day 2: Nose: "smells like a cab". Boysenberry and blackcurrant Palate: creamy red berries. Moderate mouth feel and almost tart acidity Tasted with: Angus filet and small white potatoes Overall: on day 1 this was very disjointed - almost like drinking 2 wines with heavy creamy oak upfront and tart raspberry. Better on day 2 (rare for me to say). Very good but not outstanding. Will look forward to revisiting and I'll hold off on the Klein bottles I have
Second tasting of this. This wine is very good, albeit not very complex. It’s not as fruit forward as our notes suggested from last time: there is tobacco and leather, quite a lot of tannins but they are pretty smooth. Very full bodied. Quite a nice wine but I’d suggest waiting a few years or a longer decant (we did not decant).
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From 1/2 bottle. Opened for 4 hours. Color is deep saturated ruby. On the nose: a bit closed for me but I get Plum, dark chocolate, espresso and some menthol. On the palate: Plum , cassis, menthol and dark chocolate. Mouthfeel is fabulous being rich and silky. It’s a refined European style and very good. I raised my score on this bottle.
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Bordeaux style Cabernet (not a CA bomb); cherry, black currant, menthol, earth; young and tannic with minerality on the finish. Decanted one hour, but still fairly closed down, opened up much more as it hit second hour in the decanter. Spencer and I liked this, Susan less impressed.
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This was blind tasted by us in a flight of four wines 5/21/2022.
Nose: very fruit forward nose, cherries, some violets, blueberries, cherries, a tint of water melon, juicy sweet smell, slight unfamiliar funk. Slightly fermented / overripe notes. The balance speaks New world. Color is very red with no age. Guess on sight and smell: California Merlot.
Palate: well structured, decent acidity, super fruit forward, a fruit and candy bomb with a bit of licorice; very refreshing and juicy; slight astringency that indicates a good wine, not flabby on the palate, well made. Finish: explosion of ripe fruit that signals new world. Guess: 2018 California Cabernet around $55. We both like it despite generally being averse to Cali fruit bombs, but this is well done.
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A wonderful wine. Young with expected deep red color. Nose was all cabernet fruit. Good concentration but a bit simple at present. Decent acidity for California. No VA noted.
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We really enjoyed this bottle. Holding one back for now, and will try to order more. I’ve never had a Monte Bello - if this is the baby brother then I expect MB to really blow me away.
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Still a deep ruby, and it's going to hang on to that color for a while if taste is indicative.
Warm baking spices, black fruit on the nose.
After a two hour decant, tannins still gripping like 10-month old baby. But there's a ton of fruit there, still balanced with acidity and lighter alcohol. Gonna grab a few more bottles to squirrel away for 5 years.
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Benefitted from a 2 hour decant. Blackberry, cassis, blueberry, spice, light eucalyptus aromas. On the palate is mainly blackberry, cassis, some spice and herbs. Firm tannins show up in the finish along with a fair amount of oak. Needs lots of time.
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A brilliant Cab that’s dense in fruit and structure but needs time to soften up the tannins.
Decanted over an hour, there's sweet fruit on the entry with ripe and tart blackberries, plum, blueberries, even strawberries. No discernible pyrazines besides some graphite that blew off after some time in the glass. It’s inky and opulent. Some minty eucalyptus, violets, and oak spice round out the wine.
The acid is tart, fairly high. Tannins are big and muscular, but ripe. Alcohol feels just right at 14%. Sweet black and bramble fruit plus molasses on the very long finish.
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot from Monte Bello.
If you don’t mind the big tannins, this is great drinking now. Otherwise, revisit in 2024 and hope the tannins turn to velvet by then.
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Quite Yummy. More tannic than some of the other years of estate cab I’ve had, and feels like it will really reward some time in bottle. Pretty tight on opening, but gets very drinkable with a aerate/decant and an hours contemplation. Yummy black fruits with a little peppery hint and some savory herbal undertones.
Tough decision - so enjoyable to drink now, but feels like it will be great to find in the cellar 7-10 years from now
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Had a restaurant, so some shaky notes — lots of high-toned dark fruit, cassis, and mint. It all intermixes with some soil and earth notes. It’s a nice blend of brightness, earthy notes, backed up by really great structure. Much more to develop here.
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Very dark. Expressive nose of blackcurrant, licorice. This has tobacco and olive but primarily black fruit palate with dusty tannin. Great length. Give it until 2026+ tasted at the domaine
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Very well made cabernet with plenty of cabernet varietal character. Cocoa, cassis, and minty pyrazines. A shitload of tannin to back up the cassis. Some oak on the finish as well, but nothing intrusive. This is very classically made, and I'll be delighted to drink it in ten years when the structure simmers down a bit.
Split into 2 x 375ml and drank a week apart. Pretty similar both times with dark red color, and on the palate primary red fruit & oak with menthol and eucalyptus flavors. I think this will age well.
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From 1/2 bottle. Opened for 3 hours. Color is deep red/purple. On the nose: Plum, cassis, graphite and dark chocolate. On the palate: Plum, tart blackberries, dark chocolate and graphite. Finish has decent length, flavors are refined and elegant. This is very good.
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Dark ruby. Pronounced aromas of jammy blackberries, capsicum, mocha, graphite, with a nice touch of vanilla oak, blocked out like a Cezanne. Concentrated fresh fruit with an intense sweet core, lasting presence from front to back framed by golden acids and reverberating tannins, moving into the long finish. Corseted voluptuousness. 14% alchohol.
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It's Ridge, so it's always enjoyable. Dark, burnt ruby in color. On the nose, I get blackberry, coal and pepper. Full bodied with good tannins - that develop as the bottle opens, dark berries, charcoal, lingering finish. I probably should have aged long, but I wanted to open a reliable, luxurious bottle now, and it delivered.
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Decanted for an hour and a half. Deep color. Defined legs. The nose is warm day in mountain sunflowers. Lavender. Coffee with milk. Not nearly as punchy on the palate as other vintages. This isn't a complaint. The lavender carries through with a coffee that turns to mocha, some warm red fruit and spice. This is an obviously young wine. But with a panache and balance now that makes me want to drink a case right now and lose a case for 10 years. Good now, this one is only going to get better if you can be patient.
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Dark ruby. Aromas of ripe blackberries, rose, chocolate, with a hint of vanilla. Broad spread of fresh raspberry fruit on the palate, surprisingly light acids, smooth tannins with a nice crisp bite, medium to long finish with some nice aromatic back notes.
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Coravin'ed first bottle to get a taste. 1h in glass and it opened up significantly. Quite dark purple for a RIDGE, with quite present tannins but not overt. 12h in glass and softened considerably. Drank remainder with BLT (don't judge) and really enjoyed it. Easily plan for 2027-2032 for ideal window.
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Color: dark ruby, with purple Nose: dark fruit. Blackberry. Mahogany and lead. Ink. Black pepper and green bell pepper. Coffee. A little smoke. Caramel and vanilla. An uncharacteristic alcohol whiff Palate: medium-high acidity, smooth smooth tannins even at this young age. Full body. A little darker than the usual for ridge I would say, but accessible now. American oak still vehement but somehow this is balanced and a treat Finish: medium long
I don't know how they do it but once again, great wine. Getting 6 more since they drink so we'll now and making it the house steak wine. Decanted 3 hours and hard work in the glass.
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Medium dark garnet red color. Pleasant cherry nose with green pepper sidekick. Flavors are muted in a tart, tannic, vegetable sauce. Aging or open time will probably bring fruit flavor forward.
I am not a big fan of green pepper and for that reason I rate it an 88.
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Courtesy of tlv, opened an hour earlier. Inky dark color with notes of cassis, black fruit and florals. Full-bodied with fine tannins. Black fruit lingers on the finish. Excellent.
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Pnp, nose is reticent with some dark berries and char, palate matches with a nice vein of acidity, juicy fruit albeit very much in the background at this point, and firm astringent tannin. This definitely needs some time or air or both. For me this is more similar to the 16, not as approachable as 17 but will likely age better. Would hold or give this a good decant before drinking.
Opened up a ton after 4 days open in the wine fridge. Very nice structure on this wine.
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Drank this as part of the Ridge virtual tasting on their new estate releases. Young but showing good potential with tannins, acidity, and bright fruit all popping. Better on Day 2. Drink now with a long decant or hold for 5+ years.
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3/24/2024 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 86 Points
This is fine, decent C/S. It could possibly improve with some more cellar time.
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3/23/2024 - HFLED Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very well balanced classic-ish California cab.
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2/17/2024 - Dobrie10 Likes this wine:
90 mins in the decanter yielded a pleasing, though young, wine. This has the stuffing to get through the end of the decade in great shape. We followed this fine for 4 hours and it was consistently better than the last sip. Fresh blackberry, cassis, oak, pencil savings, and firm long tannin. Next bottle in 2030.
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2/14/2024 - lazy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted off sediment and carafed for about half an hour afterward. Dark clear ruby. Smelled black cherry, a tiny bit of CS cassis, leather, vanilla, tobacco, pencil shavings; the taste was intense on the fruit but with the other elements showing in the background. Semi-resolved tannin and good acidity balance the fruit, not rounded but not young medium bodied mouthfeel; on the whole it feels pretty seamless. Medium-plus finish on the fruit that eventually gets down to pencil shavings.
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10/28/2023 - Wine G Likes this wine: 89 Points
Excellent for the price, it’s like a rich Bordeaux. If I was drinking this blind I could guess a more opulent style Bordeaux , it is not overdone by any means. Hitting the spot especially in the $50 range
Edit: Day 2 this is an alcoholic hot mess on the nose, get a rubbing alcohol, the palate tastes fine but I cannot get past the nose. quite a difference from day 1.
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8/18/2023 - motuski Likes this wine: 92 Points
High quality cab blend. Dark fruit and wood in balance with medium acidity and tannins.
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7/28/2023 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 93 Points
Part of a Ridge winery dinner with my wine group. Probably my favorite of the night. My favorite of the night.
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6/19/2023 - Tomportwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful medium bodied cab. Black cherry, cigar box, wet stone flavors, with earthy tannins and medium + acidity. Drinkable now but believe it will be a lite smoother in a few years.
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5/30/2023 - FoMoCo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with previous note (April 2022). Rich, not too much oak, and just enough tannins to suggest it has a long shelf life. I will revisit with another 2018 later this year or next. I’ve now acquired some Monte Bellos and can’t wait for the day I can open one. Expectations are high following the quality of the Estate Cab.
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3/6/2023 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 93 Points
3 hour S/O drank over 2 days. Better on day 2. Dark purple, black currants, dark cherry, blackberry, and plum. Fruit forward and smooth mid-palate with medium concentration. Background spice, cocoa, light tannins. A nice wine to enjoy when looking for a wine late afternoon.
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2/19/2023 - cshouston Likes this wine: 91 Points
Intense, dark, rich. Loads of fruit, oak spice, tannin, acid, the whole nine. Delicious, but let this one sleep for another 3-5 years. It’s not ready!
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2/17/2023 - belgarion013 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent as expected. Very dark plum color. intense black fruits with some cedar. Will be buying more but could use another few years to age.
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2/5/2023 - derrock Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really good stuff as usual, but needs time. Dense and oak-prominent. Needs to come together. Start drinking again in 2-3 years.
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2/4/2023 - ekorn wrote:
Double decanted, then poured around an hour later. This could have benefited from more air. Very dark, saturated plum color. Black and blueberry on the nose and palate, and a bit too woody at this juncture. Unsurprisingly, still pretty tannic, so best with food or in a few years.
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2/3/2023 - Bhob160 Likes this wine: 88 Points
“Opulence. I has it.” As I drank this over two nights I couldn’t get this line out of my head. This is rich, and concentrated. It began with strong, intense black fruits with a hint of cedar and tobacco. Almost overwhelming in flavor. The second night the fruit faded to the back and cigar box, tobacco, and wood came to the forefront. I think this needs another year to mellow out and so highly agree with the drink window listed here. Otherwise drink with a hefty ribeye or equivalent.
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1/31/2023 - F_&_M Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice wine. It's got a bit of complexity and subtlety unusually so for Cali cabs.
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12/19/2022 - MichielV wrote: 91 Points
At Snake River Grill - helen had the ossobucco and I had the branzino. Very good wine! Just very balanced fruit and weight (medium). This always is a classic. Good length and can live 10+ years.
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12/9/2022 - matthewmcg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely balanced Cab blend with a wonderful aroma and finish. Was even better two days after opening (slow ox in fridge).
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12/1/2022 - Rudolph Schmidt Likes this wine:
A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot & 1% Petit Verdot.
Decanted an hour but should of done maybe two. Cassis, smoked meat, blackberry, dried herbs, chocolate covered espresso beans, very pronounced oak, leather arm chair that is in a cigar smoking lounge.
Delicious now - but this baby brother to Monte Bello needs a few more years to hit it's stride.
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11/25/2022 - BottleScholar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark chocolate, espresso, and juicy ripe boysenberry. Soft texture to the tannins. Very nice.
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11/24/2022 - ThijsV Likes this wine: 92 Points
BYOB dinner NOTK (Supernova hotel, Rotterdam): [Tasted blind] Pretty fruity with black fruit, black currant, graphite, pencil shaving, apple syrup. Medium+ acidity, high tannins, long finish
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11/20/2022 - Andrew_85 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Tasting note from day 2:
Nose: "smells like a cab". Boysenberry and blackcurrant
Palate: creamy red berries. Moderate mouth feel and almost tart acidity
Tasted with: Angus filet and small white potatoes
Overall: on day 1 this was very disjointed - almost like drinking 2 wines with heavy creamy oak upfront and tart raspberry. Better on day 2 (rare for me to say). Very good but not outstanding. Will look forward to revisiting and I'll hold off on the Klein bottles I have
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11/2/2022 - curtex Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice fruit, well balanced. Good acidity and moderate tannins. Excellent Cab.
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9/19/2022 - Brendel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Second tasting of this. This wine is very good, albeit not very complex. It’s not as fruit forward as our notes suggested from last time: there is tobacco and leather, quite a lot of tannins but they are pretty smooth. Very full bodied. Quite a nice wine but I’d suggest waiting a few years or a longer decant (we did not decant).
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8/19/2022 - pilatus88 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark plum, juicy fruit, nice balance and long thick finish.
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7/30/2022 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum. Just an excellent cabernet blend with great balance and firm tannins. Really nice now but suspect it to be even better in 3-5 years,
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7/1/2022 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 93 Points
From 1/2 bottle. Opened for 4 hours. Color is deep saturated ruby. On the nose: a bit closed for me but I get Plum, dark chocolate, espresso and some menthol. On the palate: Plum , cassis, menthol and dark chocolate. Mouthfeel is fabulous being rich and silky. It’s a refined European style and very good. I raised my score on this bottle.
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5/28/2022 - winejnky Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bordeaux style Cabernet (not a CA bomb); cherry, black currant, menthol, earth; young and tannic with minerality on the finish. Decanted one hour, but still fairly closed down, opened up much more as it hit second hour in the decanter. Spencer and I liked this, Susan less impressed.
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5/23/2022 - Brendel Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was blind tasted by us in a flight of four wines 5/21/2022.
Nose: very fruit forward nose, cherries, some violets, blueberries, cherries, a tint of water melon, juicy sweet smell, slight unfamiliar funk. Slightly fermented / overripe notes. The balance speaks New world. Color is very red with no age. Guess on sight and smell: California Merlot.
Palate: well structured, decent acidity, super fruit forward, a fruit and candy bomb with a bit of licorice; very refreshing and juicy; slight astringency that indicates a good wine, not flabby on the palate, well made. Finish: explosion of ripe fruit that signals new world. Guess: 2018 California Cabernet around $55. We both like it despite generally being averse to Cali fruit bombs, but this is well done.
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5/6/2022 - Montecalvo Likes this wine: 91 Points
A wonderful wine. Young with expected deep red color. Nose was all cabernet fruit. Good concentration but a bit simple at present. Decent acidity for California. No VA noted.
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4/13/2022 - FoMoCo Likes this wine: 93 Points
We really enjoyed this bottle. Holding one back for now, and will try to order more. I’ve never had a Monte Bello - if this is the baby brother then I expect MB to really blow me away.
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4/8/2022 - Norm510 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still a deep ruby, and it's going to hang on to that color for a while if taste is indicative.
Warm baking spices, black fruit on the nose.
After a two hour decant, tannins still gripping like 10-month old baby. But there's a ton of fruit there, still balanced with acidity and lighter alcohol. Gonna grab a few more bottles to squirrel away for 5 years.
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3/16/2022 - gharter Likes this wine: 90 Points
Benefitted from a 2 hour decant. Blackberry, cassis, blueberry, spice, light eucalyptus aromas. On the palate is mainly blackberry, cassis, some spice and herbs. Firm tannins show up in the finish along with a fair amount of oak. Needs lots of time.
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12/25/2021 - petitadoub Likes this wine: 93 Points
A brilliant Cab that’s dense in fruit and structure but needs time to soften up the tannins.
Decanted over an hour, there's sweet fruit on the entry with ripe and tart blackberries, plum, blueberries, even strawberries. No discernible pyrazines besides some graphite that blew off after some time in the glass. It’s inky and opulent. Some minty eucalyptus, violets, and oak spice round out the wine.
The acid is tart, fairly high. Tannins are big and muscular, but ripe. Alcohol feels just right at 14%. Sweet black and bramble fruit plus molasses on the very long finish.
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot from Monte Bello.
If you don’t mind the big tannins, this is great drinking now. Otherwise, revisit in 2024 and hope the tannins turn to velvet by then.
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12/25/2021 - WhineEnthusiast Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite Yummy. More tannic than some of the other years of estate cab I’ve had, and feels like it will really reward some time in bottle. Pretty tight on opening, but gets very drinkable with a aerate/decant and an hours contemplation. Yummy black fruits with a little peppery hint and some savory herbal undertones.
Tough decision - so enjoyable to drink now, but feels like it will be great to find in the cellar 7-10 years from now
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12/16/2021 - OaktownRush Likes this wine:
Had a restaurant, so some shaky notes — lots of high-toned dark fruit, cassis, and mint. It all intermixes with some soil and earth notes. It’s a nice blend of brightness, earthy notes, backed up by really great structure. Much more to develop here.
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12/8/2021 - scorbett Likes this wine:
Nothing wrong with this very youthful expression right now, and if you have multiples you will enjoy this with a decant.
Full spectrum of fruit, that nice underlying Ridge menthol thing, subtle earthy/herbal notes. Lots of tannins to chew on at this point.
Scratches the itch while one waits for the Monte Bello.
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11/10/2021 - KVM wrote:
Very dark. Expressive nose of blackcurrant, licorice. This has tobacco and olive but primarily black fruit palate with dusty tannin. Great length. Give it until 2026+ tasted at the domaine
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10/17/2021 - mkribar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very well made cabernet with plenty of cabernet varietal character. Cocoa, cassis, and minty pyrazines. A shitload of tannin to back up the cassis. Some oak on the finish as well, but nothing intrusive. This is very classically made, and I'll be delighted to drink it in ten years when the structure simmers down a bit.
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10/10/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good stuff- drinking well now but will easily go 10+ years. Consistent flavor profile w other vintages
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10/8/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Split into 2 x 375ml and drank a week apart. Pretty similar both times with dark red color, and on the palate primary red fruit & oak with menthol and eucalyptus flavors. I think this will age well.
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9/30/2021 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 92 Points
From 1/2 bottle. Opened for 3 hours. Color is deep red/purple. On the nose: Plum, cassis, graphite and dark chocolate. On the palate: Plum, tart blackberries, dark chocolate and graphite. Finish has decent length, flavors are refined and elegant. This is very good.
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9/16/2021 - BrendanMcS wrote: 92 Points
A good left bank style wine. Always worth a try each vinetage.
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9/6/2021 - mayakacz wrote:
Left bank blend. Deep ruby. Medium chewy tannins. Medium+ alcohol. Manure, blackberry, pencil shavings.
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8/17/2021 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark ruby. Pronounced aromas of jammy blackberries, capsicum, mocha, graphite, with a nice touch of vanilla oak, blocked out like a Cezanne. Concentrated fresh fruit with an intense sweet core, lasting presence from front to back framed by golden acids and reverberating tannins, moving into the long finish. Corseted voluptuousness. 14% alchohol.
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7/17/2021 - cclearningwine wrote: 90 Points
It's Ridge, so it's always enjoyable. Dark, burnt ruby in color. On the nose, I get blackberry, coal and pepper. Full bodied with good tannins - that develop as the bottle opens, dark berries, charcoal, lingering finish. I probably should have aged long, but I wanted to open a reliable, luxurious bottle now, and it delivered.
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6/29/2021 - realstevebeam Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour and a half.
Deep color. Defined legs. The nose is warm day in mountain sunflowers. Lavender. Coffee with milk. Not nearly as punchy on the palate as other vintages. This isn't a complaint. The lavender carries through with a coffee that turns to mocha, some warm red fruit and spice. This is an obviously young wine. But with a panache and balance now that makes me want to drink a case right now and lose a case for 10 years. Good now, this one is only going to get better if you can be patient.
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6/15/2021 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark ruby. Aromas of ripe blackberries, rose, chocolate, with a hint of vanilla. Broad spread of fresh raspberry fruit on the palate, surprisingly light acids, smooth tannins with a nice crisp bite, medium to long finish with some nice aromatic back notes.
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6/13/2021 - jonh1 Likes this wine:
Green pepper, young refined tannins, plus acid, bright plum (and tannic plum peel). Fruit forward.
Tight at this point. Has the acid, tannin, and oak to go a while. Give it several years.
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6/10/2021 - thestuer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Coravin'ed first bottle to get a taste. 1h in glass and it opened up significantly. Quite dark purple for a RIDGE, with quite present tannins but not overt. 12h in glass and softened considerably. Drank remainder with BLT (don't judge) and really enjoyed it. Easily plan for 2027-2032 for ideal window.
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6/8/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same as prior note - it’s young but drinking well and should age also. Yumm
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5/15/2021 - stet Likes this wine: 91 Points
Color: dark ruby, with purple
Nose: dark fruit. Blackberry. Mahogany and lead. Ink. Black pepper and green bell pepper. Coffee. A little smoke. Caramel and vanilla. An uncharacteristic alcohol whiff
Palate: medium-high acidity, smooth smooth tannins even at this young age. Full body. A little darker than the usual for ridge I would say, but accessible now. American oak still vehement but somehow this is balanced and a treat
Finish: medium long
I don't know how they do it but once again, great wine. Getting 6 more since they drink so we'll now and making it the house steak wine. Decanted 3 hours and hard work in the glass.
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4/24/2021 - Lee Fining wrote: 88 Points
Medium dark garnet red color. Pleasant cherry nose with green pepper sidekick. Flavors are muted in a tart, tannic, vegetable sauce. Aging or open time will probably bring fruit flavor forward.
I am not a big fan of green pepper and for that reason I rate it an 88.
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4/18/2021 - AllRed wrote:
Courtesy of tlv, opened an hour earlier. Inky dark color with notes of cassis, black fruit and florals. Full-bodied with fine tannins. Black fruit lingers on the finish. Excellent.
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4/17/2021 - Vinophiliac559 wrote:
Pnp, nose is reticent with some dark berries and char, palate matches with a nice vein of acidity, juicy fruit albeit very much in the background at this point, and firm astringent tannin. This definitely needs some time or air or both. For me this is more similar to the 16, not as approachable as 17 but will likely age better. Would hold or give this a good decant before drinking.
Opened up a ton after 4 days open in the wine fridge. Very nice structure on this wine.
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4/9/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank this as part of the Ridge virtual tasting on their new estate releases. Young but showing good potential with tannins, acidity, and bright fruit all popping. Better on Day 2. Drink now with a long decant or hold for 5+ years.
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