2019 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello
 
99 Suckling / 98 Vinous
$229.89/750ml (In Stock) Buy Now
OWC 3-packs available
 
One of the finest examples of an American 'First Growth' Bordeaux blend

Monte Bello has often been called America’s First Growth, as it is the finest domestic example of a classic Bordeaux blend in which cabernet sauvignon predominates. Exhaustive tasting of test blends during the assemblage process determines how much, if any, merlot, petit verdot, or cabernet franc will be included in the finished wine. Each grape variety makes a contribution to the flavor and structure of the wine — with cabernet sauvignon often showing cassis and adding tannin, merlot giving plum character and a bit of softness, petit verdot contributing dark color and earthiness, and cabernet franc adding fragrance and a hint of spice. Each vintage is different, but year after year Monte Bello proves to be a consistently outstanding wine with great structure, complexity, and balance. And, in terms of ageability, it has been known to lay down for several decades with elegance and ease. - Ridge Vineyards
 
 
 

2019 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello

99 JS / 98 VM

$229.89/750ml (In Stock) Buy Now

The 2019 Monte Bello is a wild, exotic wine. Huge, soaring aromatics meld into a core of heady, exotically ripe fruit. Not a shy wine by any means, the 2019 is atypically opulent, and yet all of the classic Monte Bello structure is there, underneath all of that fruit. The 2019 needs time in bottle to shed its baby fat, but there is a lot to look forward to. I imagine it will always be a pretty exuberant wine. Inky red fruit, blood orange, espresso, sweet American oak, cedar and pipe tobacco leave a lasting impression. In a word: magnificent!—Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

 

 

Also available:

 

2019 Continuum Proprietary Red 

99 JS / 98 WA

$289.89/750ml (In Stock) Buy Now

$599.00/1.5L (In Stock) Buy Now

Blackberries, dark wet soil and blackcurrants. Graphite, too. So aromatic. Pure fruit. Full-bodied with superbly polished, fine tannins that draw you down through the center of palate. Extremely layered and the texture is so curated, giving wonderful persistence. Real plushness and fine, velvety texture. 50% cabernet sauvignon, 37% cabernet franc, 7% petit verdot and 6% merlot. Better after 2026.—James Suckling 

 

The 2019 Pinot Noir The Upper Terrace opens with graphite and earth aromas that segue to scents of briary fruits, peppered meats, blood orange and dark spices. Finely silty and super fresh, it boasts concentrated, layered fruit and a very long finish with a flourish of savory accents.—Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate

 

2019 Eisele Vineyard Estate Cabernet

100 WA / 100 JS

$665.00/750ml (In Stock) Buy Now

Deep purple-black in color, the nose of the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon slowly unfurls to reveal a gorgeous perfume of violets and roses over a core of kirsch, boysenberries and cassis, plus hints of redcurrant jelly and menthol, emerging into wafts of pencil lead and truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, featuring very firm, wonderfully ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the vivacious, tightly wound black and red fruit layers, finishing long and mineral laced. It's a stunning, evocative, singular wine that so beautifully captures the long, slow-maturing grace of the 2019 vintage.—LPB, The Wine Advocate

 

2019 Quintessa Proprietary Red

100 WE / 99 JS

$239.89/750ml (In Stock) Buy Now

 

This is a winemaker's master class in blending and understanding of a long-standing site. Dried herb, cedar and pencil shavings accent lifted red fruit and brilliant acidity on the palate, with a supple yet still youthfully grippy texture that is framed by structured, graceful tannins. Enjoy from 2029–2039. Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast

 

2019 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill

99 The Wine Advocate

$289.89/750ml (In Stock) Buy Now

 

The star of my visit to Diamond Creek was the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill, which shows awesome purity and length. Vanilla accents blackberry, cassis and plum notes on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich and velvety, leading into a tremendously long finish, bursting with classic Cabernet fruit. It could use a few years in the cellar to gain nuance, and it should drink well for two decades or more after that. - JC, Wine Advocate

 

 
Ron van Vlaardingen

Fine Wine Sales Director

Grand Vin Wine Merchants

1003 4th Avenue E  | Olympia, WA  98506 | Office: 360.350.4896 x2

www.grandvinwinemerchants.com | ronv@grandvinwinemerchants.com 

 
 
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Grand Vin Wine Merchants · 2950 32nd Ave SW · Suite A · Tumwater, Washington 98512 · United States (360) 350-4896