Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Monte Bello 1994

Exquisite balance and natural acidity allows this wine to caress the palate and explode in the mouth with such remarkably vibrant flavors. The 1994 Monte Bello has hit it's peak and it is now offering all it can.The nose needs some time to fully unfurls itself after its stint in the bottle but once it gets going it offers up classic notes of earth and herbs strongly backed by balanced notes of American oak and wild blackberries. There are lovely hints of cocoa powder, spearmint, and beef with enticing top note of forest floor that keeps one coming back for just one more sniff.

In the read more...mouth this is simply spectacular! The mouth watering acids and crisp tanins are in absolute harmony and frame the cassis and blackberry fruit perfectly offering exceptional clarity and a lively, transparent feel. If one could fault this for anything perhaps someone might consider it to be a touch simple but it's just to damn fun to drink to worry about that. Someone recently asked for a single word that describes what I want in a bottle of wine. My response? Happiness. This wine is packed with happiness! 96pts    (hide)

April 2009