TN: 2011 Ridge Monte Bello (USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains)

WINE TALK
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  • 2011 Ridge Monte Bello - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (5/10/2020)
    The cork disintegrated upon removal - wine decanted (through a strainer) for over six hours.

12.8% abv. Medium dark ruby, extremely expressive aromatics. Ripe plum, leather, graphite and a little mint on the finish. Great depth, body and length. Beautifully integrated and balanced. I’ve been drinking these for decades and was a bit worried about the '11 vintage - but this is a very worthy Monte Bello. Years of life remaining. (96 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Thanks for the notes, Mike. I was wondering about the longevity of the 2011 vintage of Monte Bello. Appreciate you posting your impressions, and I will keep my remaining bottles in the cellar!

Ed

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Great note. I and others have touted this wine. It’s brilliant. One of those vintages where it all came together. I recently bought a few more btls.

4

Ed, drink them now or over the next 15 years or so. If you’re drinking now, my only advice would be to decant as I did - and use an ah-so!

5

Indeed, this wine is absolutely brilliant. Wish I had some, but fortunately another Berserker brought it over to our house for a Berserker event and we all enjoyed it immensely. It was double decanted prior to the event, and that really seemed to help it shine.

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Sometimes I think people confuse the 2011 vintage in Napa as being a bad year in general for California, this is meant as no disrespect to the OP, hell, even I forget sometimes that Ridge’s grapes come from about 100 miles as the crow flies south and west of Napa and is a completely different climate and overall growing season. Same for the Santa Barbara region in 2011 which had a superb vintage. I have some 2011 Ridge MB and am in no hurry to drink these as the OP knows these wines can last forever as well :slight_smile: Great note on this wine and thanks for the check in on this wine!! The 12.8 ABV is always a nice thing to see in a wine from a Cali Red

7

My thoughts exactly Mike. That was/is a brilliant wine!

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I normally would not open one of these so early but based on a lot of good comments and reviews I have queued one up. I had actually queued one up earlier and talked myself out of it. [cheers.gif]

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Been buying MB futures since the 1998 vintage and the 11 is hands down the best early drinking MB imo. Went through so many that the rest had to be put in the no touch zone. Have not had one in a few years. Thanks for the tasting note.