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: 2006 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

SKU #1051883 95 points Vinous

Outer quote mark A dark, brooding beauty, the 2006 Monte Bello is still very, very young. The aromatics alone are enticing, but the tannins still need time to soften. The 2006 is a masculine, vertical Monte Bello that demands cellaring. Even so, it is pretty impressive today. Scents of lavender, sage, mint and savory herbs add closing flourishes. The perfumed sweetness of the fruit (one of the hallmarks of the very late harvest) remains one of the signatures of the 2006. (AG) 95+ Inner quote mark (7/2016)

94 points Decanter

Outer quote mark First tasted in 2009, this Monte Bello has scarcely evolved since. The nose remains dense with lavish black fruits. Broad and bold, this is very concentrated, and distinctly tannic, which gives an assertive and grippy character. Consequently, this is slightly less polished and elegant than some other vintages but still shows force and flair. The finish is robust and savoury, and very long. (SB) Inner quote mark (10/2022)

94 points Jeb Dunnuck

Outer quote mark It’s still youthfully colored and has classic Cabernet notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil, and vanilla oak. This medium to full-bodied effort is just now at the early stages of maturity and is silky, graceful, and elegant on the palate, with its still-present structure beautifully integrated into the wine. Inner quote mark (2/2019)

94 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark As it approaches age 12, the 2006 Monte Bello is still quite reserved on the nose and on the palate, unwinding in the glass with a bouquet of cassis, cherries, pencil lead, dark chocolate, cigar box and dried rose petal. On the palate, it's full-bodied, layered and still firmly structured, carrying considerable extract and concluding with chalky grip. Rich, concentrated and powerful, the raw materials are very impressive but they're still wrapped up in some formidable structure. Eric Baugher describes the 2006 Monte Bello as "a sleeper vintage: backward and tannic when it was young, and released in a challenging economy," and that's the case today. Like the 1995 vintage, I suspect this will be a Monte Bello that really hits its stride at age 20 rather than age ten, but patient consumers with time on their side should give it serious consideration. (WK) 94+ Inner quote mark (5/2018)

93 points James Suckling

Outer quote mark Relatively open compared to the 2007 with sweet tobacco and plums and berries. Full body, velvety and gorgeous, with dried fruits, almost peaches, dark fruits. I love the finish. Why wait on this? But will improve with age wonderfully. Toasty oak shows more too. But it's so pretty. Inner quote mark (5/2011)

Jancis Robinson

Outer quote mark Bright dark garnet with real lift on the nose. Love the savoury notes as well the ripeness. So appetising! Quite a contrast to the 2008. Long and classic. Monte Bello at its best for current drinking? Very, very long. 19/20 points (JR) Inner quote mark (11/2022)

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2006 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

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Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

- Cabernet Sauvignon has come a long way from its role as a blending varietal, however dominant, in the wines of Bordeaux. Today it is the most planted red varietal in the world. Identified as a descendent of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be planted in warmer climates to fully ripen. Its small berries can easily be identified for their distinctive blue color, thick skins and high tannins. And while the varietal has its own definitive characteristics: green pepper-like aromas and black currant flavors among them, it is perhaps most prized for its ability to convey terroir, vintage and winemaking. A relatively new varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon started making inroads into the wines of the Médoc and Graves in the late-18th century. Today it is also dominant in the up-and-coming Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux and can also be found in Southwest France. It is the companion varietal to Sangiovese in Italy's Super Tuscans and is planted all over Europe, stretching to lesser-known winegrowing regions like Russia and Lebanon. In the Americas Cabernet Sauvignon has found champions in every nook and cranny of California and among winemakers in Washington, where it complements plantings of Merlot. In South America, Cab thrives in Chile, but can also be found in smaller amounts in Argentina and even in Mexico.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Santa Cruz Mountains

- Vineyards dot the valleys and ridges of this coastal AVA just south of San Francisco. Microclimates make it difficult to generalize, and vineyards are frequently separated by acres of forests and meadowlands (not to mention entire towns!), but this is nonetheless known as a cooler-climate zone ideal for pinot noir. Ridge is doubtless the most famous local producer, with its cabernet blend, Monte Bello, named after a Santa Cruz mountain peak. High-quality, low-production chardonnay and some Rhône varietals prosper as well.

Alcohol Content (%):

13.5

Organic: