91 2006 Ridge Santa Cruz Mtns Cabernet/Merlot 9/20/09 ($36)
56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot 13.7% alc
Color: Deep purple. (3.5) Bouquet: Cedar, clove, black pepper and a little tobacco with excellent cassis, spicy black grapes and acidity. (3.0) Body: Solid middleweight plus with excellent acidity and very good fruit and tannin. Coats mouth somewhat. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet with cassis more prevalent, but less complex. (3.0) Finish: Parallels flavor step-for-step. Could be more forceful. (3.0)
Overall: This is an excellent Bordeaux blend with forward fruit, excellent acidity and herbal nuances from the Merlot adding complexity to the cassis, tannin and black pepper of the Cabernet. It's a little too Merlot-heavy for my taste, making it quite accessible now after an hour or two of decanting. Nonetheless, this should improve in the next 4-6 years, gaining more intricate fruit and complexity. Similar to the '04. The '05 was more up-my-alley. (15.5)
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