2013 - Ridge California Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains

The 2013 Monte Bello is as quintessential an example of Monte Bello as one could ask for, handily combining intoxicating aromas, lavish richness, vibrant energy and tenacious structure. Tasted from magnum, it bounds from the glass with a visceral bouquet that moves through floral, herbal and savory phases before morphing into a dizzying melange that serves as a dictionary definition of Monte Bello's profile. The mouthfeel places the wine among Monte Bello's grander, more enveloping examples, yet for all its power and muscle, the exquisite balance, buoyancy and clear through-line of chalky mineral notes provide ample energy to its multidimensional, show-stopping finish. This is unquestionably a classic rendition not only of Monte Bello but of a California Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend overall, and it is best left in the cellar until at least its 20th birthday. The blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, with 13.6% alcohol.

The 2013 Monte Bello is utterly spellbinding in its beauty. Finely sculpted and chiseled, with super-expressive aromatics and searing tannins, the 2013 is shaping up to be a modern-day classic. The 2013 is remarkably pure and vibrant for such a big wine. It will be years before the 2013 is close to being ready to drink. Even so, it is magnificent today. Where will the 2013 end up? The future seems limitless for now. Quite simply, the 2013 is a must-have wine. In 2013, Monte Bello is very heavy in Cabernet Sauvignon, partly because Merlot suffered in the drought-like conditions. The 2013 has already begun to shut down in bottle. Readers need to be in for the long haul.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. 100% destemmed but not crushed. Fermented with ambient yeasts. Spends 16 months in 98% American oak, 2% French oak, all of it 100% new. Filtered before bottling. Very dark garnet. Smells of crushed nuts, coconut and whisky barrel. Beautifully billowy tannins provide a bed for gorgeous flavours of cherry, cedar and earth, overshadowed at first by the strong coconut and whisky-barrel flavours of American oak, which lessen with some air in the glass, revealing the sweet, gorgeous fruit and earth. The wine is tremendous, but will improve for the next ten years of cellaring, especially as the American oak melds into the wine. The harmony and balance of fruit, earth and acidity is undeniably fine and mouth-watering in its current state. (AY)