As many of you know, WineChap has a crush on the Santa Cruz Mountains (see: sappy love note), as well as on its potential to express its terroir through a number of varietals—mostly pinot noir, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon. Now, there are a number of producers out west who knock on the door of our deepest vinous sentiments, but it is Ridge’s Monte Bello that has earned its spot as the veritable “spokeswine” for the AVA.
Still, as Asimov points out in his article this week, Ridge isn’t exactly basking in adoration. “Perhaps because of its longevity and its consistency, and because its wines are actually available to consumers, Ridge tends to be taken for granted…” After all, it’s human nature to grant cache to anything that articulates a sense of exclusivity, especially now that our trend is moving toward small production, artisanal wines—a stride, if you ask us, in the right direction. But we mustn’t let this preference stiff-arm producers like Ridge simply because their wines are relatively easy to procure. Frankly, the fact that we can provide you with a guide on where to drink or buy more than ten vintages of Monte Bello here in NYC makes us all want to dance naked—for money of course, because let’s face it: Monte Bello isn’t exactly cheap, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the coin.
Where to drink:
Blue Ribbon Downing St. Bar (’90, ’92, ’93 $338-675)
Aureole (’99, ’97 $385, $425)
Four Seasons (’90, ’91, ’92 all @$450)
Bar Americain (’90, ’92 both @ $400)
Terroir/Hearth (’99, ’96, ’94, ’92 $245-$435)
Tribeca Grill (’94 @ $120!!!)
Veritas (’78 @ $450!! + several ‘90’s vintages in mag)
Union Square Café (’92, ’94, ’96 all @ $360)
Where to buy:
Sherry-Lehmann (‘99, ‘05, ‘06)
Uva Wines (‘90, ‘91, ‘96)
Bowery & Vine (‘92, ‘94, ‘04)
On Asimov’s Tail: “Letting a Grape Be a Grape”
As many of you know, WineChap has a crush on the Santa Cruz Mountains (see: sappy love note), as well as on its potential to express its terroir through a number of varietals—mostly pinot noir, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon. Now, there are a number of producers out west who knock on the door of our deepest vinous sentiments, but it is Ridge’s Monte Bello that has earned its spot as the veritable “spokeswine” for the AVA.
Still, as Asimov points out in his article this week, Ridge isn’t exactly basking in adoration. “Perhaps because of its longevity and its consistency, and because its wines are actually available to consumers, Ridge tends to be taken for granted…” After all, it’s human nature to grant cache to anything that articulates a sense of exclusivity, especially now that our trend is moving toward small production, artisanal wines—a stride, if you ask us, in the right direction. But we mustn’t let this preference stiff-arm producers like Ridge simply because their wines are relatively easy to procure. Frankly, the fact that we can provide you with a guide on where to drink or buy more than ten vintages of Monte Bello here in NYC makes us all want to dance naked—for money of course, because let’s face it: Monte Bello isn’t exactly cheap, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the coin.
Where to drink:
Blue Ribbon Downing St. Bar (’90, ’92, ’93 $338-675)
Aureole (’99, ’97 $385, $425)
Four Seasons (’90, ’91, ’92 all @$450)
Bar Americain (’90, ’92 both @ $400)
Terroir/Hearth (’99, ’96, ’94, ’92 $245-$435)
Tribeca Grill (’94 @ $120!!!)
Veritas (’78 @ $450!! + several ‘90’s vintages in mag)
Union Square Café (’92, ’94, ’96 all @ $360)
Where to buy:
Sherry-Lehmann (‘99, ‘05, ‘06)
Uva Wines (‘90, ‘91, ‘96)
Bowery & Vine (‘92, ‘94, ‘04)
Previous post: From the horse’s mouth
Next post: Zag Chap
