Monte Bello 2008 Ridge

Classificatie	Cru Classe
Wijnsoort	Rood
Producent	Ridge
Jaar	2008
Land	Verenigde Staten
Streek	Central Coast
Inhoud	0,75
Conditie	Perfect
Etiket	Perfect
Drinkbaar	-2037
Voorraad	0

Professionele reviews

Robert Parker (95)

The 2008 Monte Bello is marked by the drought vintage, which not only made a more concentrated crop but also deprived the blend of all supporting varieties, as only Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot handled the dry conditions sufficiently gracefully to make the final cut. At age ten, this muscular Monte Bello is finally beginning to unwind, offering up rich aromas of black cherry, cassis, dried mountain laurel, loamy soil and burning embers. On the palate, it's full-bodied, expansive and powerful, its generous, sweetly fruited attack giving way to a taut, firm mid-palate that doesn't show as much finesse as the 2010 or 2012, concluding with a long, stony finish. Baugher observes that in its youth, the 2008 was "monolithic and more angular—a mouthful of tannin." A decade later, it's beginning to soften, but it still requires another 5 or 6 years of bottle age.

James Suckling (94)

Very closed nose but showing hints of blueberries and some Spanish cedar, almost sandalwood. Full body, with a firm and fine tannin structure and light vanilla and berry character. Textbook traditional Cab from California. Wait until 2014 to see what it really has. Lovely depth of fruit. Subtle depth. Roses on the finish.

BOW (8.50)

Jancis Robinson (17.50)

72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot. Vintage marked by drought. Winter was short; two storms provided the season’s rainfall. In April, a late frost delayed the season. Temperatures soared in May and the vines set a modest crop. Harvest 26 September to 16 October. Destemmed, and left uncrushed as whole berries. Indigenous-yeast primary and secondary fermentations. Pressed at six days. 18 months in barrel (98% new air-dried American oak, 2% new French oak).
Dark crimson. The first wine that smells with even a smidgeon of that damp fur/black-cherry aroma of a really ripe red wine that was what people were producing everywhere then. Big and sweet and perfectly nice but atypical Monte Bello. Just a little demandingly scrawny on the end. Horses for courses?