"The 2008 Monte Bello (still in barrel) is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot. More successful and higher in quality than the 2007, it exhibits a thicker, deeper, richer purple color, medium to full body, beautifully pure blackberry and cassis fruit, and attractive spicy, earthy notes. This velvety-textured, rich, impressive offering appears to be a strong success. It is another 20-25 year wines.
Ridge’s iconic Monte Bello Proprietary Red (no longer called Cabernet Sauvignon) is one of the candidates for the longest-lived Bordeaux blend made in California. Even vintages from the late sixties and early seventies are still vibrant wines. The winery owns just over 100 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines, and production varies enormously based on the mountain climate. With respect to this group of wines, the smallest yields were achieved in 2005, and the highest in 2007. The selection process here is relatively severe. For their Monte Bello, the flagship wine, 32% of the production was used in 2003, 38% in 2004, 49% in 2005, 39% in 2006, and 41% in 2007. These wines continue to be anomalies in the sense that the Cabernet Sauvignon component is aged in American oak, a somewhat contrarian procedure since most top producers long ago moved to French oak. The Santa Cruz Mountains cuvees, essentially a second wine culled out from Monte Bello, are also high quality efforts from Ridge. Each of the vintages I tasted reflects the vintage conditions in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Three 2008 barrel samples reveal a consistent, high quality style with slightly more elevated alcohol contents."--The WIne Advocate
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Marietta Old Vine Red NV
United States
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California
For over three decades one of the great values in dry California red wine has been the non-vintage kitchen sink blend from the Bilbro’s family-owned Marietta Cellars.
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Philip Togni Ca'Togni Sweet Red 375 ml 2000
United States
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California
"Knockout nose features prune, maple syrup, orange peel, violet and rose petal. Supersweet and fat with currant, rose petal and exotic spice flavors, if not quite as complex in the mouth today as on the nose. But this very thick wine possesses lovely fruit and superb sappy length. Best of all, this singular sweet wine is delicious already."--Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Thackrey Pleiades XXI California
United States
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California
One of California's most iconic and mystical winemakers, Sean Thackrey has logged in 20 or more vintages of consistently stunning wines...his "Pleiades" is in its 21st cycle around the heavens, and as is usual with this heavenly blend, we're not exactly sure what's inside. Gorgeous red fruits, a hint of Bolinas eucalyptus leaf, a lot of spice -- a delicious wine from top to bottom and as rare and exquisite as a shooting star.
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Abrente Albarino Napa Valley 2010
United States
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California
Abrente is a side project of the very talented Morgan Peterson, founder of Bedrock Wines, and also son of Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood. A unique focus on Spanish grape varietal Albarino has made this label a must-have yet very hard to find, as quantities are very small yet quality is stratospheric! Great freshness and minerality -- wonderful with seafood.
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Cosa Obra Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma Coast 2010
United States
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California
From the winemaker: "Sourced from Hummingbird Hill Vineyard in the cool, windy hills of the Sonoma Coast, this complex, rich Sauvignon Blanc showcases powerful aromas of key lime, lemon and peach, followed by a lively tropical and citrus palate of lemon, mango and papaya. Pure, graceful and fresh, it's perfect for tapas style dining or savory snacks like olives and cheese. This versatile wine is one you will want to enjoy all year long. "
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Antica Terra Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2009
United States
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Oregon
From the winemaker: "Antica Terra displays the richness of the vintage, but it is paler, detailed and more concise. Its flavors are from the forest: small wild berries, chanterelles, yellow leaves. This wine includes more fruit from our estate and two extreme sites closer to the coast. In 2009 the stems from these sites ripened to become russet, dense and woody. The impressions of spice, woodlands and autumn come from this."
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Cep Vineyards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2009
United States
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California
A family winery that has gone from strength to strength. Cep Vineyards is a secret "second" label of Peay Vineyards, one of northern California's most lauded and definitely talented small-production wineries. Cool-climate Pinot Noir (especially at this price) just doesn't get any better.
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble Anderson Valley 2009
United States
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California
"Bright ruby. Subtly aromatic nose of cherry, mocha, cinnamon and musky herbs. Smooth and expressive, with dark cherry and spice flavors and an appealing pliant texture. Nicely concentrated and seamless, with very good finishing breadth and cling..."--Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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"The 2007 Monte Bello is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot,
9% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Its dense ruby/purple color is
accompanied by attractive aromas of incense, red and black currants,
spice, and forest floor. Much lighter in the mouth with less
concentration and texture than the 2006, 2005, and 2003, the 2007 is
built along the lines of the 2004. There is a slight lack of intensity
in this offering (yields were almost twice as high in 2007 as they were
in 2005), but it is a very pretty effort made in a lighter, more
elegant, restrained style. It reveals lots of blue, black, and red
fruits, medium body, good acidity, and a fine finish. The extremely cold
weather in late September as well as the wet October has had an impact
on the 2007 in contrast to what happened further north in Napa and
Sonoma. While it does not represent a great classic, the 2007 will
certainly last 15 or more years.
Ridge’s
iconic Monte Bello Proprietary Red (no longer called Cabernet
Sauvignon) is one of the candidates for the longest-lived Bordeaux blend
made in California. Even vintages from the late sixties and early
seventies are still vibrant wines. The winery owns just over 100 acres
of Cabernet Sauvignon vines, and production varies enormously based on
the mountain climate. With respect to this group of wines, the smallest
yields were achieved in 2005, and the highest in 2007. The selection
process here is relatively severe. For their Monte Bello, the flagship
wine, 32% of the production was used in 2003, 38% in 2004, 49% in 2005,
39% in 2006, and 41% in 2007. These wines continue to be anomalies in
the sense that the Cabernet Sauvignon component is aged in American oak,
a somewhat contrarian procedure since most top producers long ago moved
to French oak. The Santa Cruz Mountains cuvees, essentially a second
wine culled out from Monte Bello, are also high quality efforts from
Ridge. Each of the vintages I tasted reflects the vintage conditions in
the Santa Cruz Mountains. Three 2008 barrel samples reveal a consistent,
high quality style with slightly more elevated alcohol contents."--The Wine Advocate