® Ridge Vineyards ( www.ridgewine.com)

TASTING NOTES

1991 Monte Bello - 85% Cabernet, 10% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot  Alcohol
13.1% -  initial aromatics of an older Monte Bello with highlights of cedar and spice, which, over several minutes change, revealing very pleasing qualities of herbs, stems, and aromatic spices. Still lush on the palate, with more noticeable tannins than when I last tasted it (although that was from 375), it is still very forward, and a wine that has not suffered from the "dumb stage" that these wines often go through. It's elegant, beautifully balanced and an absolute pleasure to drink.

1993 Monte Bello - 86% Cabernet, 7% Merlot, 7% Petit  Verdot Alcohol 12.9% from a very difficult year on Monte Bello Ridge - the first year in which some of the lots actually had to be de-acidified - and it shows. Somewhat restrained aromatics - on the palate the acidity is noticeable - slightly shy fruit notes - still a well structured wine that will require some patience, and, is beginning to show some of the classical Monte Bello fruit and complexity that this wine is capable of offering. Pales on the hedonistic scale next to the 1991, but a better wine than I thought it was when I tasted it last.

1992 Monte Bello - 80% Cabernet, 11% Merlot, 9% Petit  Verdot Alcohol 13.4% fairly forward aromatically - dense purple and black fruits - a fuller and weightier aromatic profile than the 91 - the nose of this wine gives up surprising and pleasing hints of sweet maple syrup - on the palate, interesting and very pleasing spectrum of flavors - good tannin structure - certainly needs some time to come around.

Kathy Martinich Kathy Martinich is a key part of the Ridge infrastructure. After years of serving as the tasting room and retail sales manager, she now concentrates on other responsibilities, and has her weekends to herself. Many of you will recognize her from your past visits to the sales room. She has one of the finest palates I have ever encountered, and it's always fun to taste with her. Kathy always smiles when she pours Monte Bello.

1995 Monte Bello - 69% Cabernet, 18% Merlot, 10% Petit  Verdot, 3% Franc Alcohol 12.5% generally more restrained all the way around - particularly in aromatics - the flavor profile initially shows compote of black plum and current fruits and unfortunately is masked by the considerable tannins than shut the wine down on the palate just a bit - this is perhaps the most structured wine tasted today - bodes well for aging.

1999 Monte Bello barrel sample - 73% Cabernet, 24% Merlot, 2% Franc, 1% Petit  Verdot 40 percent of the lots were held out - this is the second assemblage, which includes all of the press 1 juice and about half of the press 2 juice, which were not included in the first barrel tasting of this wine back in March. Effusive aromatics of currant and black plum - very sweet and bold fruit that completely obscures the tannins - very fresh and forward, exhibiting excellent balance, and even showing a bit of elegance - surprising at this stage of its life. A very delicious wine.

It was very interesting to hear Paul Draper comment on how much pleasure might be lost by tasting these very fine wines against each other rather than by taking one bottle to dinner. Nice to hear that from one of the premier California wine makers.

I thanked Mr. Draper for the tasting, and headed down the hill, stopping again at the Lower to pick up my purchases and say goodbye. It was my good fortune to run into Delia Montesinos - former retail sales manager for Ridge, and a good friend. For those of you who wonder what became of her, she now works for Testarossa - a premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producer - and is doing very well.

I left while I could still drive safely, and headed north for a dinner date in Palo Alto at Café Brioche, where Bruce L, Stephen Bozeman, Milan Maximovich, Julius Schillinger and his wife Laura, Richard Leland, Kira M. and I enjoyed a fine meal. 

The wines were just splendid, including two Thunder Mountain selections, and the 1994 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet. In keeping with the day's theme, we opened two additional vintages of Mr. Ridge.

1985 Monte Bello - Oh boy! Fascinating aromas of cedar and tobacco leaf with additional spice and leather - on the palate the wine still shows some youthful fruit with complexity from well integrated oak spice. The wine is wonderfully smooth on the palate, with a very long and clean finish, and may, for me, be approaching, or at it's perfect window of drinkability. The nose offers the complexities of a mature wine, and the palate show still youthful fruit with wonderful integration and harmony. Not as lush as the 84, but more complex and interesting.

1994 Monte Bello - fresh aromas of purple and black plum with hints of violet and licorice. On the palate the wine is a bit simple, but this is well compensated by its youthful exuberance. Still fleshy and flashy, the wine is fun to drink, but I'll be happy to keep some around to taste again in the future. Of the vintages tasted earlier in the day, this wine reminded me most of the 91.

These were the perfect ending to a great day. Seven vintages of Monte Bello, a visit with Mr. Draper and dinner with great friends. Not a bad Sunday.