"Toddlering" dot com - yes, 2013 Ridge Monte Bello...had to do it, and NOT disappointed

  • 2013 Ridge Monte Bello - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (11/29/2018)
    Yes, ‘toddlering’ (substitute for babykilling)…I know…but ‘the boss’ (my wife) insisted on drinking a Monte Bello if I was to keep buying them vintage after vintage, and this was the first vintage I bought into, and a good ‘early drinking’ example, so this was it.

Decanted for two hours, no sneak previews whatsoever, and upon first pour the nose was explosive in its perfume, really expressive and unique. There are obvious Cab Sauv/Bordeaux blend characteristics like kirsch, sandalwood, bright red fruits, but there’s a really unique quality to it, perhaps fennel? It’s one of those aromas that is so complex you need a PhD to outline each specific scent - black, red, and blue fruits, cedar, oak, smokiness (but not too much), heavily tanned saddle leather, and a MASSIVE dose of what I would call nearly-baked sugar cookies - doughy but not raw, parts from both but if you pulled one out you’d get a lot of vanilla but also that toasty cookie goodness. The palate delivers brightness and weight, acidity and richness simultaneously, a true delight for your senses overall.

I know this is meant to enjoy in 20 or more years but holy hell is it wonderful right now. Honestly I can’t think of a wine much better than this at the moment. If only I used points…

Stellar!

One of the best wine experiences lodged in my brain was the 2007 Monte Bello, decanted and drank at the Stonehouse Restaurant in Montecito in 2010.

Great note. Have 3 of these sleeping away. Love how Ridge’s description says it will basically continue to evolve for 35 years.

I visited Ridge in Sonoma a few weeks ago and popped for the Monte Bello flight (2006, 2007 and 2015). The ‘15 was young bright and very intense but certainly a linear fruit and tannin experience. A great wine I’m glad I have in my cellar.

But the 2006 and 2007 were by comparison so much more. Intense dark fruit, earth, balance, very long and extremely delicious. Sublime? Close. The 2007 seemed the readier of the two, with more sweetness and balance. The 2006 was bigger and earthier, but the tannins were still very present. Drink the 2007 now and for decades. The 2006 needs another 5+ years at least.

My point? These are excellent well made wines, enjoyable young. But patience is very very well rewarded. With 10+ years they become much more special. Who’s surprised?

Thanks for the tasting note on the 2013 Ridge Monte Bello, I first saw on Cellar Tracker, and glad there is a thread here too.

In May, I too did the Monte Bello flight, and the 2006, and 2007 were showing really well. I thought the same, with the 2007 showing very well, the 2015 was just a baby, so it made for an interesting tasting. I just wish I had several bottles of well aged Monte Bello!

Thanks for the Monte Bello notes, everyone. This is on my list of wines to try/buy but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet. It’s getting tougher as I saw the price increase almost $50 for the 2015 (750) and $20 for the 375s where I usually shop…

I have vintages going back to 2007 and I think I’ve only ever opened one. I have 4 bottles of the 2013, so maybe I should pop one soon…

A couple of years back, there was a discussion to drop “babykilling” from the vocabulary on this board. I look forward to the day that actually happens. Surely, with a moments thought, one can identify a more appropriate descriptor.

Was going to comment on CT, but checked here first…I’m in the same boat, and now have 2012-2015 (with 16’ and 17’ pending delivery) — I have tasted older vintages at the winery, but have really been itching to open one as well. Isn’t part of the fun to see a wine evolve?

Price has increased quite a bit even in the last few years, but I’ll hang on at least one more year and see how 19’ and 20’ look going forward. Even at $124, while an expensive wine, it is easy to justify looking around the world of wine and something I’ll willing to continue to buy for now.

Thanks for the inspiration and great tasting note, maybe I’ll pop one open on Christmas!

This is still one of the very best of the Cali cabs/blends to me. Great note Todd.

Thanks for making the sacrifice (that doesn’t appear to have been much of a sacrifice) Todd. Like others, I have a bunch of MB in the cellar but have actually drunk none that I’ve bought from the producer (and only a couple elsewhere). I am not sure I could bring myself to pull the cork so early but you’ve put ideas in my head . . . .

I agree. Even with the quotes and the metaphorical context, it’s a disturbing word.

Eek that sounds horrid, did you pair it with ice-cream?!? [snort.gif]

I keed, I keed - well, only a bit - this is my issue with the winery that I have followed for decades. I have stopped buying most bottlings, wish they would switch to French Oak, but i’m beating a toasted drum! The 2013 Estate Cab and 2013 Torre Ridge bottlings show a very similar, predominant vanilla toast profile. I will acknowledge over time that the MB handles newer American Oak better than most other bottlings.

When you can catch Monte Bello young and open, it is worth the early look. I used to open a bottle of every vintage when the futures came in, but have stopped after a few years of missing the open part and feeling that I had wasted a tremendous amount of potential. With the special cuvees in '13, I ended up with more things Monte Bello, so I think this is getting opened soon given your result.

Cheers,
fred

So did you get the go-ahead to keep buying?

Not as disturbing as opening a 13 Monte Bello

I too have a growing collection of recent vintage MBs. My solution was to hunt down some older ones (1996, 1999) and drink those. Worth the wait! There are lots of these out in the market though they are not cheap. The secret is out!

Rick Allen - yes, I have the go-ahead, fortunately. This was one vintage I was able to double up on ordering, too, so I purchased 4 instead of 2.

Alan, not disturbing at all, actually. I was scared, and regretted it at first but once I experienced it, I couldn’t have been happier. That said, I’m going to work my hardest to keep the rest under lock and key for a bit.

As for ‘babykilling’ I HATE the word as well, which is why I used it in quotes. Let’s crowd-think this into a new term and coin it, so let me know your thoughts.

I suppose that “vinfanticide” raises the same concerns as “babykilling”?

L’enfanting