A long-time friend and biz associate meets me either Thurs or Friday for lunch at what we lovingly refer to as “The Club”. Actually it’s Sportsmans Wines but they serve some tasty sammiches also. The big plus is that because we both are fairly good customers they allow me to bring wines from my cellar. My good bud Rick has also been bit by that most venomous of all insects the Wine Bug so he sold his home 6 years ago and built a new one so he could have his very own cellar instead of the big cabinet thingies. He started out with the 2003 vintage and he requested I bring the above 2 so he didn’t have to open one of his. Happily I can say that IMHO these have to be 2 of the top 5-10 bottlings of that uneven vintage and I’d even go further on the Monty and place it in the top 2. Good drinking juice that mite improve with onother 2-3 but so bloomin’ good now why wait? Verne Batchelor
Very happy to read your take on the Monty. It is one of only a few 2003 California Cabs I purchased. I’m a little surprised that is so approachable now. I had a 2002 a few months back that seemed pretty young and tight.
Welcome, Verne.
Sbargia hit homers on his full line-up in 03.
Next time you tell Rick not to be so ‘shy’ and to reach into his own cellar… ![[training.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/d/d0f39866e5714408d7091b0bd2d7bb764d7bb973.gif "[training.gif]"){kind=small}
Unfortunately on these he only has 3 of the Montys and 2 of the Sbragias all of which I sold him as he was a tad late so that’s why I brunged them dudes. And Brad there’s a lot of difference in the structure and balance between the 02s and 03s IMHO. VB