TN: Ridge Monte Bello 1990-2002 in magnum
Max Hauser
Los Gatos, California (Manresa restaurant) July 2005. With the winemaker,
some industry colleagues, other longtime Ridge fans. (A combined
dinner-tasting held by a very long-time Ridge fan who furnished the wines.)
The bottles were bought annually on release, kept in a single cellar. An
unusual MB comparison because systematic cellaring of magnums is much less
frequent than of regular bottles.
Overall the wines showed strikingly "young," even at age 15. (That's MB for
you.) Concentration and balance were impressive, and personalities of
different years despite consistent style -- like siblings in a large family.
(Winemaker commented later that these wines were explicitly "assembled to be
in balance" whether approached young, or left to develop often to later
stages, as were appearing already in some of the vintages here.) Quick
preference polls asking first and second favorites after each flight showed
notable consensus. Not a corked wine in the bunch. (Winemaker discussed
cork Quality Assurance. And barrels. And assemblage of wine from parcels.
And sundry other matters, as is his style.) Below are more casual
impressions than rtasting notes, from less focus than in regular tasting
groups I attend (samples were not even blind).
Notated with cépage in order Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Petit Verdot /
Caernet Franc. Letter "T" stands for "Taste" in contrast to smell, and its
first appearance marks start of tasting rather than smelling.
First group, 2002-1996.
2002 (74/18/8/0): Soft, alcoholic, soft young wood; Mexican-hot-chocolate
aromas (chocolate, cinnamon, almond). T hard young wood, but berryish for
this group, moderately concentrated.
2001 (56/36/8/0): Wooded, concentrated-fruit smells. T intense and
concentrated with rather sweet fruit. Grape jelly. Almost cloying.
Powerful young wood.
2000 (75/23/0/2): Toasty nose, dried orange peel, nutmeg or mace. T is on
the fruity side, soft acid, some chocolate, tannins mild for this group.
Long, young Cabernet finish.
1999 (72/25/1/2): Wood spices. Lumberyard. Sawn wood. Berries.
Coffee-mocha. T very rich berry fruit in this one; like a chocolate bar
with blueberries. Creamy note on palate, like vanillin.
1998 (70/24/5/1): Striking complex floral, herbal smells. Young berries,
mace or jasmine, cinnamon?, marjoram?, coconut. T unusually concentrated;
strong acid, hard; oak, cantaloupe.
1997 (85/8/4/3): Port-de-Salut cheese, maybe turpentine. Rich smells,
ashy toast. Orange peel? Berryish, raspberry-turnover was the eventual
standout smell besides wood components. T again ash toast, fine Cab
character, tannins softer than in the'96. (This wine was very popular of
this flight.)
1996 (80/11/9/0): Sassafras, oak. Cedar, dark berries -- blackberry?
Nuts. (Hazelnut?) T Nuttiness, nutty wood, concentrated, high acid, bits
of coffee.
Paused for small food course of squab and summer vegetables. Then second
group of wines.
1995 (69/18/10/3): Wood smells, youngish fruit. Smells much younger than
some of the later years. Bit of nutmeg. T pleasant truffly complexity,
wood, notable acid, faintly underripe.
1994 (73/15/9/3): Sweet berry fruit; wood smells. T balance,
concentration, tending to coffee flavors.
1993 (86/7/7/0): Rustic, faintly moldy? Hazelnut, and raspberry Pop-Tarts
(TM) -- a famous exact smell that shows in some wines. T, is the fruit
light here? Blueberries.
1992 (80/11/9/0, in 750ml rather than magnum): Highly rustic. Fruit
acids. T notable acid, fruit down a little; hard.
1991 (85/10/5/0): Gamy, meaty smells. Ashy toast and hint of sauerkraut.
Stilton cheese. T fine coffeeish, truffles, blueberries. (My and the table's
clear favorite of the flight.)
1990 (85/10/5/0): Truffly. Fine, maturing Cabernet aromas. Complexity.
T cedary; impressive balance and development. Tannic.
Followed by course of roast prime rib-eye beef with fresh porcini, then
cheeses. (Later, a little almond cake dessert.). The simple menu was
worked out with chef to go with the wines.
For more information about Ridge wines, see www.ridgewine.com . The usual
routine for Ridge Monte Bello fans is to order the wines at pre-arrival
around the time of annual assemblage (from smaller parcels of wine),
March-May. Public tastings at the winery are offered during and after the
final assemblage, Web site has details. Wines are shipped approximately two
years later, then released for retail sale. For background on how Ridge is
perceived, particularly outside the US market, dig up Barbara Ensrud's
article "Wine: Ridge at the Pinnacle," _The Wall Street Journal,_ 18
December 1992. Or cover article by John Stimpfig, _Decanter,_ March 2000.
Mark Lipton
> Ridge Monte Bello Cabernets 1990-2002 in magnum (1.5 L) bottles. Tasted at
> Los Gatos, California (Manresa restaurant) July 2005. With the winemaker,
> some industry colleagues, other longtime Ridge fans. (A combined
> dinner-tasting held by a very long-time Ridge fan who furnished the wines.)
> The bottles were bought annually on release, kept in a single cellar. An
> unusual MB comparison because systematic cellaring of magnums is much less
> frequent than of regular bottles.
Great tasting and notes, Max. Thanks! What food was served by Mr.
Kinch to accompany these wines, and what was your favorite match?
Mark Lipton
DaleW
Thanks for notes.Like Mark, I'm curious about the food.
The '91 Montebello is my all-time fave, though I don't taste that many.
I actually liked the '93 a couple years ago, too.
Max Hauser
news:1122321270.4...@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Max,
> Thanks for notes. Like Mark, I'm curious about the food.
Gentlemen! The food is mentioned, among the wines. Following 1996 and
1990. (I just checked.) Omitted was only canapés at the beginning
(tartlets of caramelized onion and of sweet corn puree; also blue-cheese
gougčres). A simple but satisfying dinner menu, worked out with the chef to
go with the wines.
Cheers -- Max
DaleW
preparation was totally simple, and how matches were. Did you actually
not drink the wine with food- your wording makes it sound like there's
a break between flights and the food.
Max Hauser
We did taste-and-spit the wines in two flights, separately from the food
courses. Naturally, some wines were left in the glasses after this and
naturally, rather less was left in the glasses after the food came and went.
(An agreeable mixture of tasting and dining.)
The squab was a small course, to keep the appetites clear. Roasted slowly,
with summer vegetables, a little garlic, offal sauce, crushed raspberries.
The rib-eye beef was dry-aged, roasted in its own fat, served with
Bordelaise-style fresh bolete mushrooms. The beef was obtained from a farm
in, if I remember, Pennsylvania for this dinner and was exceptional.
Regarding matches, the wines were very powerful and mostly rather young, and
I said at the time that they were a little intense for the food. Still
pretty good though.
Cheers -- Max