Ridge Vineyards - Monte Bello 2020 (750ml)

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Producer	Ridge Vineyards
Country	United States
Region	California
Subregion	Santa Cruz Mountains
Varietal	Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage	2020
Sku	38905
Size	750ml

   

JR

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Ridge Vineyards, founded in 1885 by Osea Perrone, is a historic winery located on Monte Bello Ridge in California. The winery was later acquired by a group of Stanford Research Institute engineers in the 1960s, who began producing high-quality cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel wines. Under the guidance of winemaker Paul Draper, who joined in 1969, Ridge Vineyards has become known for its traditional, minimalist approach to winemaking, focusing on expressing the unique character of its vineyards. The estate expanded to include the Lytton Springs vineyard in Sonoma County in 1991, and continues to produce internationally renowned wines, primarily from cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel grapes.

Mild temperatures in March prompted an early bloom that coincided with the spring rains. This resulted in a smaller crop that, accompanied by more summer fog than usual, allowed for slow, steady ripening into September. After assembling thirty-six of fifty-eight lots, the wine was returned to barrel for a further twelve months. As a classic Monte Bello, it will benefit from a decade of aging and develop over another twenty years.

Opaque ruby color with ripe cassis, plum and red currant fruit, toasty oak, vanilla, fennel, juniper berry and bay laurel. Well-integrated velvety tannins, full mid-palate, firm acid, and a long, sumptuous finish.

Full bottle 1,312 g. Organically grown estate fruit from one of California's most famous vineyards in a vintage made notorious by the wildfires further north: 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Just 76.4 tons from 66 acres because of rain during flowering – after a mild spring – and summer fog. 36 of 58 lots were selected and blended before ageing in barrel for another 12 months. Bottled June 2022.
Deep lustrous crimson. Very complex balsam, sage and ripe Cabernet, including blackcurrant leaf, on the nose. Extremely subtle and layered. Quite marked acidity on palate entry and then supple tannins enclose the fruit. Definitely worth stashing away for many a long year but nowhere near ready. If it has a fault, it's that it lacks a very long finish.