772 | Wine | Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 L

"Good bright, deep red. Cool aromas of black cherry, licorice, tobacco and tar. The palate shows a restrained sweetness to the flavors of cherry, spices and loam (I got a note of Rutherford dust here). Broad and fairly full, finishing with substantial tongue-dusting tannins and a slight dryness."

"A candidate for one of the longest-lived Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in California is Ridge’s Monte Bello. The 2002 Monte Bello Proprietary Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, with more of the Cabernet component than the 2001 possesses. Aromas of white chocolate, charred oak, black currants, tar, cedar, and earth are followed by a full-bodied, tannic red that is not as fleshy or fat in the mid-palate as its older sibling."