Ridge 2019 Monte Bello Futures

[Gerry_Morrisey]

I’ll most likely drop off after the 2020 vintage offer. Nice round number. I’ll be 66 in a couple of months. I should probably drop off now, but at least with 375s and a vigorous decant, they may show something. I’ll still order the Estate Cab.

I think this is my answer, I’ll hang in there for the 2020 vintage when I’m 60. I might just add a couple of 375s.

[William_Anzalone]

Is anyone joining in on the Ridge Virtual Winemaker Roundtable: 2019 Monte Bello - First Assemblage & Components on Thursday and if so what do you plan on drinking? I live in PA and never find myself visiting CA during the spring and summer months to attend one of these events. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to taste the components of the 2019 assemblage but I thought opening one of my own Monte Bello’s was the next best thing.

I have a 375 Monte Bello 2008 that I’m considering opening but I know it’s still young. However, it’s the oldest 375 I own and am hopeful with a long decant it will show nicely.

I typically buy 2 x 750 for my MB futures. I have a magnum of 2018 for my son’s birth year and am hopeful to be allocated a 2020 magnum for my soon to be second child. My allocation is a magnum and 2 x 750. My plan is to drop down to 2 x 750 and 4 x 375 after the 2020 vintage and then eventually only purchase 375s. I haven’t figured out at what age (44 years-old now) I will make that change at yet but I don’t plan on dropping the Futures for quiet a while.

[T_Altmayer]

I think an 08 out of a .375 will be very drinkable. I had an 07 a few months ago and it was beautiful. Sure, it was not a 30 year old Ridge, but it had its own pleasures and I loved it.

[Scott_Jameson]

When we were first added to the list (2008 vintage), you could purchase up to 9L in any format you chose. That became your “standing order” (ours is six standard bottles and three magnums). You could change formats from one year to the next, but if you dropped down from say a total of 9L to 6L, you were not guaranteed that you could get back up to 9L the following year.

I do not know how much of that has changed since then, as we were never part of the other programs, and we have never been asked to buy “X” to ensure our order of Monte Bello.

I cannot imagine a time that we drop the MB futures program as we love the wines (oldest in our cellar is the '91). I can see, luckily quite a few years from now, dropping a mag or bottle or two for some halves, but that’d be it.

If your current futures allocation is more than 4.5L, you are not able to change formats unless you also drop to the 4.5L limit. My current standing order is for 6L in total, 6 750s and 1 mag. I just called and asked to replace the 1 mag with 4 375s, so I maintained the same volume. I was told if I wanted to do that, I’d have to reduce my order to a maximum of 4.5L. My 6L order is “grandfathered”, but any changes would mean I’d have to live with the new limit. I left my order unchanged. Hopefully my kids will enjoy the mag