2005 Monte Bello

Youthful nose, with a very wide spectrum of red and black fruit, as well as delicate notes of cardamon pods and vanilla beans. For 18 years of age this still has a serious tannin structure and remarkable vitality on the compact palate. Very long, complete finish with plenty of chalky minerality. A cuvee of 72% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot and 6% petit verdot. Tasted at the Thomas Kammeier Monte Bello vertical.

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Yield just one ton per acre (the lowest in 10 years). Another late-ripening vintage. Harvest 4 October to 1 November. Gentle destemming, no crushing. (In 36 separately fermented lots, roughly half the berries remained unbroken.) Indigenous-yeast primary and secondary fermentations. Pressed at eight days on average. 17 months in barrel (94% new air-dried American oak, 6% new French oak). Some juiciness and lots of acidity again. Really rich on the palate! There is distinct sweetness – perhaps for the first time in this flight. Strong mineral element and a light saline quality. Really rewarding with sweet inkiness and quite enough acidity to keep it in check. Nicely mellow already. (JR)

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Hints of sandalwood and light eucalyptus, deep dark black fruits and tobacco leaf move from the nose through the palate. The tobacco spice becomes more apparent in the mouth, moving into notes of black tea and leather. There is still quite firm, ample tannin here and it would do well with still more cellar time as it gains complexity with air. Allow time to evolve in bottle – intriguing complexity. (ECB)