91+ 1999 Ridge Santa Cruz Mtns Cabernet 9/26/09 ($32)
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, 1% Cab.Franc 12.7% alc
Color: Deep garnet. (3.0) Bouquet: Cassis, cedar and a little cocoa with black pepper and some black ink and gray clay. (3.0) Body: Solid middleweight plus with excellent acidity and fruit and very good tannins. Coats mouth somewhat. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but more concentrated with violets. (3.5) Finish: Parallels flavor with pretty flower nuances lingering and significant, but smooth tannins to resolve. (3.0)
Overall: An excellent, peak claret with mature nuances of cedar, black ink and gray clay complementing cassis fruit. Still has a little excess tannin to shed in the next 1-3 years. I'm struck by how much more I prefer this Cabernet-heavy blend to Ridge's more recent blends with significantly more Merlot (almost 50%). This is a personal preference though and not a reflection of quality. (15.5)
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