Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains 2016 750ml

Vinous awarded the 2016 Monte Bello a perfect 100 points, calling it a masterful expression of Ridge's storied Santa Cruz Mountains site, and International Wine Review added 98. Compared with the bigger 2014 and 2015, the 2016 is a more streamlined, ultra-classic Monte Bello. The blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc, grown on the vineyard's limestone-rich mountain slopes. Expect blueberry, crème de cassis, gravel, cedar, charcoal and a hint of eucalyptus, with finessed tannins and a long, sizzling finish. Approachable now, it has, in Vinous's words, "many, many lives left to live."