Country: US / California
Variety: Bordeaux-style Red Blend
Winery: Ridge / California Monte Bello
Not the best Monte Bello to emerge in recent years. There’s a sharpness of acidity that cuts the palate, and it accentuates the fresh fruit, giving it a jammy zing. More troubling is an overripe raisiny flavor. This bottling is, of course, one of the most ageable in California, but the inherent imbalance seems to mitigate against long time in the cellar.