Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Lavender, wild herbs, high toned berries & dark fruits, nutmeg on the nose. Big, young powerful mid palate that needs time. Tannins still young & a little chalky (Merlot) not quite integrated yet. Still a baby. Cool late year, concentrated, prob very small clusters & berries. 24% Merlot, 5% PV, 1% CF blended. 12.4% alcohol :)

Decanted for 60 minutes needs 90. An acceptable lunch wine with a nose of stewed fruit with flavors of pencil shavings, tobacco, leather and black olives. Medium length and finish and lacking in complexity. But it did go quite well with the steak salad lunch!

Cassis and menthol on the nose. Ruby on the rim. Austere on the palate, hints of sour cherries and assorted dark fruit. Medium plus acidity, medium body. Tannins have mellowed, still noticeable.

Solid, but not as good as the others in this vertical.

Bordeaux like in flavor profile. Needs at least 3-4 hours to open up.

This tasted woefully young to me, which at 20 years is crazy, but a testament to the life of these wines. Great nose, palate lean and somewhat austere, muted fruit, dry finish.

Wotn at Santé. Coconut, gravel and goji berries. Delicious!

Still youthful. A lean MB. Pretty. People who knock 98 Cali need to drink this.

Drinking beautifully. Stone, cassis, and acid. Wouldn't wait much longer though.

''Twas a cold year