One of the smallest crops to be included in the Ridge Monte Bello, only 32% of the production made it into the 2003, which is largely Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. Out of barrel as well as post-bottling I liked this wine a lot, and it has changed very little from when I last tasted it in February, 2010. It boasts an inky/blue/purple color along with sweet black currant, blueberry, graphite, licorice and toasty vanillin aromas. The tannins are still noticeable in this full-bodied 2003, but seem reasonably well-integrated. Forget this wine for another decade and drink it over the following 30+ years. - Robert M. Parker, Jr. (41453)
(85% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot and 7% petit verdot) Full ruby-red. Knockout nose offers blackberry, currant, plum, cedar, minerals and dark chocolate. Fresh, succulent and quite firm in the mouth, with brisk acids and a minty nuance lifting the dark berry and chocolate flavors. Finishes with chewy tannins that come across as a bit less harmonious than those of the young 2004. But this youthfully closed wine grew sweeter with aeration.- Stephen Tanzer (09/2006)
Producer: Ridge
Vintage: 2003
Varietal: Proprietary Red
Country: USA
Region: CA - Central Coast, Santa Cruz Mtns
Sub-Region: Santa Cruz
Appellation: Santa Cruz Mountains
Sub-Appellation: Monte Bello
SKU: #
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