2009 Ridge, California Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains 1×1.5L

Vinous 95

The 2009 Monte Bello is poured blind from magnum. It is lavish and youthful on the nose; a veneer of luxuriant new oak is proportionate to the concentrated fruit behind it with irresistible vanillary black fruit, cassis and violets. The palate is pure and concentrated, satin-like in texture and glossy merely by dint of its youth. This is a decade at least from its drinking window, but the quality is evident, and the purity on the Margaux-like finish is exquisite. Gorgeous. Tasted at Burns & German’s dinner to celebrate The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide book at Medlar. [Neal Martin, 26/12/2023]

Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060

Robert Parker 98

The 2009 Monte Bello ,72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot is simply magnificent. Layers of dark red fruit, flowers, spices and graphite are all woven together in this utterly impeccable wine. The 2009 is an especially huge, intense Monte Bello, yet a sexy, silky core of fruit lies within its imposing frame. Everything comes together in this glorious, radiant wine. Last year the 2009 had some pretty stiff competition from the 2010, but today it is simply firing on all cylinders. Eric Baugher describes 2009 as a year with cold weather early on, followed by heat in early June and July. The fruit was brought in on October 12, just before an intense downpour swept through the region. There is a purity and silkiness supported by structure in the 2009 that is impossible not to admire. Simply put, this is another utterly magnificent, towering masterpiece from Ridge. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2049. Indiana Jones and I have one thing in common " a fear of snakes. That is why every time I see the sign in the Ridge parking lot that reads a oeBeware of rattlesnakes,a I get a little uneasy. So it’s quickly into the tasting room for me. Winemaker Eric Baugher and his team have prepared a great tasting covering all of the Ridge classics, plus a few smaller-production bottlings I am tasting for the first time. This is a sublime set of new releases from one of this country’s greatest heritage wineries. It’s hard to know where to start, but the highlights are the 2009 Monte Bello, followed by the 2010, which will be released this year, plus some of the Zinfandels and Zinfandel-based wines. The 2010 harvest was not an easy one. The summer was very cold, as it was throughout California. Ridge was severely affected by August heat spikes that were crippling for Zinfandel. The wines that were bottled are the result of a severe selection of the best fruit that survived the heat. Tel. (408) 867-3233 [Antonio Galloni, 31/08/2012]

Anticipated maturity: 2019-2049