Blends defined by cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot, etc.
We’ve just completed the second round of the Monte Bello Assemblage Tasting, and the blend is in! It was quite a remarkable tasting; somewhat unique in its architecture, as compared to some past editions, in that it was essentially divided… Read More ›
It was a truly beautiful morning; ripe with promise, alive with anticipation, resplendent with resplendence. For events of this scale, we park our own cars well out of the way, high above the vines. The walk down in the morning,… Read More ›
There are four people from whom I learned what it means to be a man in this world. What it means to be a man, and how to be a man. One of them is imaginary: Rick, from the movie… Read More ›
We don’t do a great many events in any given year up here on our mountain, so when we do stage them, we try to thoroughly imbue them with all the passion and gravitas our four-sizes-that-day wine-hearts can muster. Our… Read More ›
I just had the rather most lovely opportunity to prepare, taste and share a particularly singular line-up of Ridge wines … … Singular for a few reasons: –The new, not-yet-released 2010 Monte Bello Chardonnay –The new, only-just-bottled 2011 Lytton Springs –The… Read More ›
I was early, by intention. I wanted to absorb the air, the space, the mojo. Ghosts of Shamans past — silken-shadowed, proud and twirling — wove the naked canes with threads of dripping gossamer. In my car, the metal murmuring… Read More ›
I had the pleasure of hosting Paul Draper and two wonderful guests yesterday for what was not only an excellent tasting, but an enlightening conversation. The topics were, amongst other things, the recent changes rung at the Wine Advocate, the Asian… Read More ›
Oh Susanna! Don’t you cry for me, cuz I’m goin to Monte Bello with Estate Cab on my knee … And by Susanna, of course, I mean Susanna Hoffs; she, of The Bangles, who formerly noted that, as opposed to… Read More ›
I like Mondays. Why? May I present … … my Monday Morning Meeting. We started in on the zinfandels first. The tasters: Myself Paul Draper (CEO, Head Winemaker) Eric Baugher (VP of Winemaking, Monte Bello) David Amadia (VP Sales &… Read More ›
I cannot help myself; I’m in the Year-End-List spirit. I MUST make my Best-Ofs … And for today’s canonically contributive endeavour, I am going to grapple into submission a task never yet set; I am going to attempt to name… Read More ›
