These arrived a month ago & SteveCostigan was in town to pick up his 2 btls, so decided to crack one at our last BacchusBadBoys Share a Btl tasting:
1. Ridge Monte Bello MonteBelloVnyd/SantaCruzMtns (13.5%; 64% CabSauv/31% Merlot/5% PetiteVerdot; 63 tons from 51 acres; bttld June 2023; Drk: 5/23-5/43-5/48: JO) 2021: Black color; very intense blackcurranty/CS/chocolaty/slight herbal very ripe very strong toasty/smokey/oak some chocolaty beautiful nose; very tart/tangy very intense CS/MB some earthy/dusty/OV strong vanilla/Fr.oak quite complex flavor w/ rather hard/chewey tannins; very long/lingering intense CS/vanilla/toasty oak finish that mimics flavor; a classic beautiful MB that should go the distance w/ age. $187.00 (MBCollectors)
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More stisserfrot from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Tasting young MB's is hard. They all pretty much taste the same when young and it's hard to pick up any nuances from previous young MB's. I have no reason to doubt JohnOlney's rec for a drinking window. But this was a pretty classic example of MB.
Tom