1973 Monte Bello

1973 gave us the first significant crop from our younger vines and, as they too were stressed, their quality matched that of the old vineyard. In its second year a part of the vintage lagged in its development and for the first time with Cabernet we lightly fined that portion using the traditional egg whites. The resulting wine is an elegant balance of oak aging and fine varietal character. It will need at least four years to show full potential.

Ridge wine is made with an emphasis on quality and naturalness that is rarely attempted. Our grapes are grown in select vineyards (usually identified on the label), where they are left to ripen to peak maturity, often at some loss of quantity. We let the wine settle and age in small barrels, with only rare cellar treatment other than racking. Varieties are not blended unless so indicated on the label. Near Black Mountain on Monte Bello Ridge, our main vineyard is 10 miles south of Palo Alto, 15 miles inland from the ocean, and over 2000 feet in elevation.

Average Rating: 92.5

No. of Tasting Notes: 19

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