I’m under the impression that long time buyers were grandfathered in without the requirement to buy 3 estate wines. I started buying in 2016 and have the requirement, however they allowed me to swap the Estate Chard for an additional Cab (the chard is quality, but not my preferred style and $$ for something I don’t truly enjoy).
I didn’t know that.
True. They never made me buy anything else. Just dropped off this year
Agree strongly. I’d drink at least one as soon as you get it with a long decant. I get four 750s of MB a year and always open one real soon. OTOH I’d say the 1985 is at peak right about now. I’m 60 years old. IMO all of their reds follow the pattern Wes described . The bad part is the shut down period isn’t really closed, it’s some fruit but a lot of oak. A drinkable wine I don’t like.
I’ll drink any Ridge red any time during the periods it’s not showing oaky. But when young and not oaky, it’s a completely different wine from when older and not oaky.
I drank two 2013 Estate cabs on release a week apart. The first was unpleasant with oak. The second was all fruit and wonderful.
Maybe this will work. Drink yours any year you want. If a bottle is showing oaky, stick the cork back in, stick it on the counter, open in three days. If it’s not showing oaky, drink up. But hold one or two as long as possible.