Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2022 0.75 L Flasche

Alles über Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2022 0.75 L Flasche 2022

- 97 Punkte Jeb Dunnuck, Virginie Boone: Blending 86 Cabernet Sauvignon, 9 Petit Verdot and 5 Merlot, and lovingly referred to as Baby Monte Bello, designated as Monte Bello since the 2008 vintage, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Monte Bello Vineyard is known for its weightlessness, made to be approachable in its youth with great intention. Barrel-aged for 17 months in 50-60 new oak to integrate and soften the tannins, it still has another 15-20 years of aging, if not 25. 2025-2060. Set in the Santa Cruz Mountains with a second winery and vineyard acreage in Sonoma Countys Dry Creek Valley called Lytton Springs, Ridge made its first Monte Bello in 1962 (the Monte Bello Vineyard dates back to 1885) and is devoted to single-vineyard winemaking, what it calls pre-industrial winemaking, organic and sustainable farming, and full transparency it is one of the few wineries to list ingredients on its back labels. Winemaker Paul Draper joined in 1969. The winemaking team today consists of head winemaker John Olney, who has been on the team since 1996, Lytton Springs winemaker Shauna Rosenblum, and assistant winemaker Michael Bairdsmith. It remains one of the great names in California wine, celebrated for making ageable wines.
- 95 Punkte DECANTER, Clive Pursehouse (042025): The grape that founded the Montebello estate, the Ridge Cabernet, is a Montebello-grown wine made from fruit that doesn't contribute to the flagship, Montebello bottling. It tends to be more accessible in its youth and is softer in its profile. 2022 was the third straight drought year, with low yields and concentrated, small berries with ample tannin. The wine sees 17 months in 50 new American oak, and you pick that up in the aromatics, with a note of sweet tobacco leaf. The palate, however, is loaded with verve, bright saline minerality and taut early-season black fruits on soaring fresh acidity. 2025-2036.
- 94 Punkte Owen Bargreen: The glorious 2022 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has 9 Petit Verdot and 5 Merlot blended in. Stored in American oak barrels, this delivers dark florals and red currants that parade with chocolate, pencil lead and suggestions of coconut dusted sandalwood aromatics. The palate is rich and viscous with a terrific sense of mouthfeel and tension. Smooth and refined, this really needs another year in the bottle to fully be aroused. 2026-2040.
- 93 Punkte James Suckling: Aromas of blackcurrants, licorice, tea leaves, cedar and spices. The palate is full-bodied with firmly framed tannins and bright acidity that leads to a bright, savory finish. There's lovely freshness despite the warm vintage. Drink or hold.
- 17,5++ Punkte Jancis Robinson (032026): Full bottle 1,224 g. 86 Cabernet Sauvignon, 9 Petit Verdot, 5 Merlot. Grapes destemmed and sorted 100 whole berries. Both primary and secondary (malolactic) fermentations are completed by ambient yeasts and bacteria. Aged 17 months in American oak 52 new, 20 one-year-old, 28 two-year-old barrels 56 Appalachian, 27 Missouri, 17 Virginia. pH 3.36, TA 7.08 gl. Minimum effective SO2 (35 ppm at crush, 120 ppm during ageing). Certified organic. Deep purple with a fuchsia rim. Every time I review Ridge's Estate Cab I think 'can youthful Cab really be more classic and elegant than this?' and then I move on to the Monte Bello and it is but I haven't moved on yet and once again I am struck by the light, fresh green blackcurrant-leaf notes, the perfectly balanced oak spice and the brooding black fruit. The tannins are smooth but building with fresh mouth-watering acidity and a long, evolving finish. It absolutely demands age but it's hard to imagine a more promising youthful Cab. 2030-2050. ;