2010 | Ridge Vineyards | Monte Bello

Deep ruby/purple, with aromas of blackberry, red current, ripe cassis, cedar, crushed rock minerality, toasted oak. Full-bodied, with a rich tannin structure, dark berry fruit, firm acid, wet-stone, juniper, forest floor, cola, and lingering exotic oak spice finish.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: Ridge's flagship offering, the 2010 Monte Bello, composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc (13.2% alcohol), was harvested in October and yields were under two tons of fruit per acre. Boasting a deeper ruby/purple color than the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, it exhibits attractive aromas of creme de cassis, dark berries, earth and spice. Firm, rich, structured and broodingly backward, it needs at least 7-8 years of bottle age, and should keep for three decades. Certainly outstanding, although not one of Ridge's greatest Monte Bellos, time will favor its further development.

• Wine Spectator: One of the lowest-alcohol prestige Cabs on the market, Ridge's 2010 bottling is dry, softly tannic and light in body for a Cabernet Sauvignon. Yet it’s complex in flavor, offering tiers of blackberries, cherries, currants, herbs and spices.

Producer Information

Ridge's history begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor and prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He planted vineyards and constructed a winery of redwood and native limestone in time to produce the first vintage of Monte Bello in 1892. The historic building now serves as the Ridge production facility. Though Ridge began as a Cabernet winery, by the mid-60s, it had produced several Zinfandels including the Geyserville. In 1972, Lytton Springs joined the line-up and the two came to represent an important part of Ridge production. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of Chardonnay since 1962. The Ridge approach is straightforward: find the most intense and flavorful grapes, guide the natural process, draw all the fruit's richness into the wine. Decisions on when to pick, when to press, when to rack, what varietals and what parcels to include and when to bottle, are based on taste. To retain the nuances that increase complexity, Ridge winemakers handle the grapes and wine as gently as possible. There are no recipes, only attention and sensitivity.

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