Saturated dark red with a youthful rim. Extravagant nose combines roasted plum, currant, shoe polish, walnut, roast coffee and a whiff of raisin; grew fresher as the wine opened in the glass. Very rich but youthful in the mouth, with a restrained sweetness and powerful underlying structure. Quite dense and full; flavors of plum, dark chocolate and burnished wood. Finishes very long, chewy and ripe, with firm tannic spine. Developing very slowly.

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From The Purple Notebook ? California Dinner at Gidleigh Park.Expressive. Sweet and slightly earthy and wonderful. Much more evolved than the 1991.

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The 1990 Monte Bello is also backward, tannic, and rich. Its cassis, mineral, and oak-scented nose offers considerable promise. With medium to full body, crisp acidity, and a long, tight, closed finish, it will require considerable patience.

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An immense wine of uncommon depth, richness, concentration and complexity. Beautifully structured, tightly focused, with layers of currant, tar, earth, anise, mineral and sage, finishing in long, lingering aftertaste.--California Cabernet retrospective. 2,368 cases made.

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