The 2018 Monte Bello is as classic a release from this storied site as ever. It contains 17% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. A ravishing, multidimensional nose of wet clay, cocoa powder, peperoncini, cured meat and eucalyptus endlessly expands and congeals with further aeration. The palate precisely stitches together supple concentration and firm, coarse tannins that give sturdiness and intensity to its otherwise medium-bodied frame. The finish is amazingly long and delicious and begins to close down after a few hours, telling me this timeless wine should be left alone for the next 10-12 years. Superb through and through, this wine should excel past its 50th birthday.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello comes from a cooler, even, drought year and is based on 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. I believe it was aged all in American oak as always (I wouldn't be surprised if there was a French barrel in there) and hit 13.7% natural alcohol. Beautiful, and classic Monte Bello, notes of plums, cassis, and blueberries all give way to more vanilla oak, tobacco, cedar pencil, and violet aromas and flavors. A more elegant, streamlined, medium to full-bodied Monte Bello, it has beautiful tannins, perfect ripeness (not overripe nor underripe), flawless balance, and a great finish. It doesn't have the sheer grandeur or dimension of the 2017, but it's a seamless, incredibly elegant, compelling Monte Bello that will benefit from 4-6 years (it's stunning today with a healthy decant) and will certainly have 30 years of prime drinking.

The nose is simply gorgeous, very ripe and seductive, and displays great charm and finesse and aromas of pure black fruits. Although rich and tannic, the wine is not too extracted and has ample acidity, which brings some severity which is welcome at this stage. Balanced and discreet, this is less flamboyant than the nose, and clearly needs time to express its full potential. Very long.

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Organically grown fruit. December brought intense rains but they ended by January. Drenching spring storms saved the growing season. Though summer was foggy and cold, the vines received abundant sunshine and warmth that ripened the grapes by early October. Harvest 28 September to 18 October. Grapes destemmed, 100% whole-berry fermentation. 15% automated berry sorting. Fermented on the indigenous yeasts. Pressed at eight days. Natural malolactic. Reduced pumpovers during fermentation helped moderate tannin extraction. 17 months in barrel (93% air-dried American oak, 7% air-dried French oak). TA 7.43 g/l, pH 3.39. Very dark crimson. The ripeness level is quite a shock immediately after the 1977! Floral cassis in abundance but nothing heavy. It’s supported on an air mattress of acidity and gives huge pleasure. I wouldn’t choose to drink the 2019 now but I could drink this! Great lift and freshness as well as all that ripe fruit. SO neat! (JR)