Tasting Note                         

92    1994 Ridge St. Cruz Mtns Cabernet     2/23/08 ($24)

81% CS, 11% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot   12.8% alc
Color:Deep garnet with just a little onion skin, looks ready, but far from old. (3.0) Bouquet: Black ink that's very aromatic and concentrated. Cassis and a touch of tar. Sweet and delicious with some forestal complexity thrown in. (4.0) Body: Solid middleweight with excellent acidity, sufficient tannin and a soft, tangy mouthfeel. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but could be a little more forceful. (3.0) Finish: Parallels bouquet, long and aromatic with some chalky acidity. (3.0)
Overall: This is outstanding. Much better than the last bottle I had (12/06), which I suspect was flawed. This one is more in tune with my expectations, based on its younger self. It will never be great, but it's a refined, complex, ready-to-go claret. Drink now and in the next 1-2 years. At 12.8% alc, the critics might find this to be anemic today. Just shows how silly wine fads are. Fine wine is fine wine, no alcohol stats needed, taste is all that matters. (16.0)