2014 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

“A deep well of black fruit, together with notes of raw meat, savory and walnuts. Considering how compact and powerful this wine is, it has startling freshness and lightness of touch on the front- and mid-palates. The serious tannins build to a stunning crescendo at the imposing, velvety finish. A cuvee of 75% cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 2% of petit verdot.” (12/2022)

“The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello checks in as 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and the rest Cabernet Franc. A much deeper, richer wine compared to the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, it offers incredible notes of crème de cassis, vanilla bean, tobacco leaf, and scorched earth. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, with moderate acidity and ripe yet present tannin, it's going to drink nicely with just short-term cellaring yet shine for two decades or more. It doesn't have the overt concentration and structure of the 2012 and 2013, but has sensational purity, balance, and elegance.” (06/2018)

“A worthy successor to the profound 2013 and the fruit of the earliest harvest on record at this address, the 2014 Monte Bello is still quite youthfully expressive, wafting from the glass with an exuberant bouquet of minty dark berries, plums, black cherries, cigar box and a nicely integrated framing of new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and intense, with a rich chassis of structuring tannins, which are currently largely concealed in a succulent core of fruit, and bright balancing acids. In profile, it's structurally more open-knit and giving than the massive 2013, and I suspect it will reach its plateau sooner, but it should enjoy over three decades of longevity. The blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, and it attained 13.5% natural alcohol. 'The drought had a positive effect on concentration,' observed winemaker Eric Baugher when we corresponded shortly after harvest, adding that 'the wines are opaque in color, with rich tannins and marvellous fruit.' Four years later, that remains an accurate characterization of the 2014 Monte Bello. (WK)” (05/2018)

“The 2014 Monte Bello is going to need at least a decade to show everything it has. Deceptively medium in body and super-classic in its mid-weight structure, the 2014 offers notable brightness and intensity in an understated style, even by Ridge standards. Today, the 2014 is intensely linear, focused and vibrant. Petit Verdot is the variety that suffered most in the drought, so its presence in the blend is minimal. (AG)” (08/2017)

“Intense on the nose, this has blackcurrant and mint aromas, supported by stylish oak and showing lovely purity of fruit. Although plump and opulent, it also displays considerable heft and drive. Still assertive and almost raw, it has ample energy and persistence as well as great depth of flavour. (SB)” (10/2022)

“This shows the very expressive aromatic profile of the 2014 vintage, with a range of sage, mint and spice notes leading off, followed by a dense core of black and red currant fruit and a long, smoldering finish. Approachable for its aromatic range, but there's absolutely no rush here. (JM, Web-2019)” (09/2019)

“Deep cherry red. Fabulously rich and pure black fruit, cassis and blackberry, with fine juicy freshness to balance all that intense, lively fruit. Deep and long but not heavy. Sweet oak spice on the end. Full in the mouth but with the finest of tannins. (JH)” (08/2017)