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1996 Monte Bello Vineyard, bottled May 199880% cabernet Sauvignon, 11% merlot, 9% petit verdotVineyard Production: 89 tons from 92 acresSelection: 40%
An extremely short crop in 1996 was largely attributable to a disruptive storm in mid-May and the two weeks of blustery weather that followed. The Monte Bello vineyard was severely affected. At the uper (2500'-2600') and middle (2100'-2300') elevations, yields were down by forty percent; at the lower (1400'-2000') by a full sixty percent. We determine when to harvest by tasting the grapes. Record-high daytime temperatures could have caused flavors to become overripe, but cool nights maintained firm acidity and well-defined fruit. The first assemblage of Monte Bello - in February following vintage - typically includes eighty-five to ninety-five percent of the parcels that will make up the final wine. This year we made two versions, keeping them separate until August to be sure each was fully stable. Once combined, the whole proved greater than its parts. Sensuous and complex, with layered fruit and beautifully integrated tannins, this is among the loveliest of the '90s. Accessible as a young wine, it will develop further with twelve to fifteen years of bottle age. PD (4/98)
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© 2010, Ridge Vineyards.
