91+ 2009 Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 5/20/12 ($36)
77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot 13.8% alc
Color: Deep purple ruby. (3.0) Bouquet: Sweet cassis, elegant cedar and spicy forestal nuances. (3.0) Body: Solid middleweight to light heavyweight with excellent fruit and acidity and smooth, substantial tannins. Coats nicely. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but fruit is more giving. Very tasty with concentration. (3.5) Finish: Parallels flavor, but shows some bitter tobacco here, making it slightly less charming at this point. (3.0)
Overall: Excellent flavor concentration with sweet cassis, cedar and spicy forestal/herbal complexity. It also has excellent structure with acidity and lots of smooth tannins. There is a tobacco component that adds some bitterness at this point, but the fruit is more than enough to prevail with time. Excellent example of this wine. Decant a couple of hours for now drinking. Will develop fully in the next 7-10 years. (15.5)
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