This weekend 22-23 May 2004, Ridge Vineyards in California opens house for a
second public showing of its current year of Monte Bello Cabernet (2003,
available for advance purchase through this month, www.ridgewine.com). Each
sees an annual assembly of wine parcels from the previous harvest, entailing
two public barrel samplings (March with separate parcels, then final or
near-final assemblage in May) with sometimes older vintages sampled also.
I think it is a gracious custom. (Ridge has quietly produced a traditional,
individual, long-aging California Cabernet for more than 40 years, predating
all currently fashionable US wine critics, "cult" wines, most US wineries,
and many of their employees and customers). Paul Draper, winemaker
emeritus, was recently on the cover of the US _Wine Spectator_ magazine
which might enhance public interest, as did the _Decanter_
winemaker-of-the-year cover a few years back.

I plan to visit and taste ten hours from now -- it is convenient because I
am not far away. Should anyone read this in time and find it convenient
also, the hours are 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM both days. Of course it would be
technically possible for most people in North America (three large
countries, Newfoundland, and several other island countries) or even further
away to reach the winery this weekend if they heard in time. (That is like
when in Hong Kong once for two days and eight small meals I telephoned my
cousin in rural western China. She insisted "you could join me in as little
as ten hours," which I conceded, but pleaded that I would arrive just in
time to return. So I understand if anyone must reluctantly miss Ridge with
this notice.)

Max

Max Hauser wrote:

I plan to visit and taste ten hours from now

So, Max, what were your impressions?

Mark Lipton

"Mark Lipton" in ...
Max Hauser wrote:

I plan to visit and taste ten hours from now

So, Max, what were your impressions?


It was a cool morning with a faint mist falling in the Santa Cruz Mountains
(climatically intermediate between Bordeaux and Piedmont by Winkler's old
"degree-day" analysis for grape growing, by the way, acc. to Schoonmaker).
As people visited, employees of the winery cheerfully poured samples and
answered questions. One table showed five component and intermediate wines
leading to the (now complete) assemblage of the 2003 Monte Bello Cabernet
(the focus of the showing). Lots not used for this signature wine become
Ridge's 2003 Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernet. (By the way, the 1998 of that
label is for sale now, in a late bottling, at US $30, or $27 with purchases
of 12 or more bottles, see www.ridgewine.com). I saw many questions asked
and answered -- why is petit verdot blended in; why is that grape's wine not
sold on its own; etc.

I see that I made no notes on the 2003 Monte Bello (I had already ordered
some of it) and it was fairly overwhelming as usual when young. ("Coffeeish,
concentrated, young, rough" says my minute on the incomplete "first
assemblage" sample.) I also tried tastes of the 1991 and 1994 Monte Bello
(sold, with many other years, at the winery). The 1991 was full of spicy
oak and Bordelian concentration; acid has softened giving it a sweet, warm,
accessible side along with the oak. The 1994 gave me a red-currant
impression with its bolder fruit. (Howard Hickock, a former semiconductor
engineer who has worked in Ridge's retail sales for some years and poured
these samples, opined that of recent vintages of MB, the 2001 is likely to
be the most approachable young and that this was true also of the 1991 at a
similar age.)

It was a pleasant low-key open house with generous tables of cheeses, breads
and a couple of meat patés, which may soon be illegal in California. The
State Senate recently passed bill SB1520 to ban not only production but
_sale_ of foie gras; the issue awaits the lower house of the state
government. Evidently "they" are not satisfied to refuse foie gras who
object to it; they would force everyone to do so. This is very
characteristic of people in the US and especially in California who presume
a moral superiority on an issue; they are not content to demonstrate their
position but must mandate it as well.