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Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello, Ridge Vineyards 2012

RegionU.S.A.
Subregion U.S.A. > California
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon

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Tasting Notes

The 2012 is a racy, voluptuous Monte Bello built on a core of sweet red fruit, with striking perfume, silky tannins and fabulous overall balance. The 2012 is of course an infant, and the new oak is still evident. As Vinous readers know, Monte Bello is a wine that really should not be touched until its tenth birthday, and even that requires an optimistic view. The 2012 has been a consistently brilliant wine. Today, it is once again stellar.

97+
Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, July 2016

The 2012 Monte Bello is a beauty, wafting from the glass with complex aromas of plums, blackberries, bitter chocolate, black truffles, cigar tobacco and hints of crème de cassis. Its new oak is already well integrated. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, richly tannic and very deep, with a layered, concentrated core of fruit framed by chalky, fine-grained tannins. The 2012 is still quite youthfully chewy at this early stage, but there's a certain lavishness to its ripe blackberry fruit that suggests this will be a dramatic, even decadent Monte Bello in the style of the 2002 when it reaches maturity. Late September heat made for a record-setting harvest in only 16 days. The 2012 is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, and it saw a small water addition to finish at 13.8% alcohol.

96
William Kelley, Wine Advocate, May 2018

Inky colored, the sensational 2012 Monte Bello comes all from the Santa Cruz Mountains and is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. It's backwards and tight, with classic black cherry, crushed violets, cassis, espresso roast and crème brulee notes all flowing seamlessly to a full-bodied, concentrated, structured and layered Bordeaux blend that has bright acidity, a stacked mid-palate and firm tannin. It needs 5-6 years of cellaring and will hold for two decades beyond that. Drink 2020 - 2040.

94+
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (221), October 2015

Actually 18++
Double decanted. 64% Cabernet, 22% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. 2.4% water addition because everything ripened so fast; some calcium carbonate, for some of the tartest lots.
Very good quantity. Silky texture and great tannic charge with long fruit. Very classy and complete. 13.8% Drink 2020-2040

18+
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, May 2015
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.