93 2004 Vidovich Monte Bello Road Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Cruz Mtns) 1/27/17 ($35)
15.5% alc
Color: Very deep garnet with slight browning but no clearing. Dense. (3.5) Bouquet Candied cassis and blackberries with dusty SCM terroir underneath. (3.0) Body: Heavyweight with excellent fruit, acidity and smooth tannins. Rich mouthfeel that coats. (3.5) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but shows more depth beyond the fruit. (3.5) Finish: Candied flavors come back with a little heat, but has outstanding length. (3.0)
Overall: This vineyard is right next to vineyards that are used to produce Ridge Monte Bello and you definitely taste the resemblance (Monte Bello terroir if you will). This has the concentration of a Monte Bello, but not the balance and class, showing candied cassis and blackberry fruit. Nonetheless, an outstanding SCM Cabernet that easily surpasses Ridge's Estate bottling from this vintage and is not far behind the Monte Bello. Reminds me of the 2001 Monte Bello, which was a bit overripe by Ridge standards. Amazing value! (16.5)
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