Ridge Cabernet Franc Perrone Monte Bello

Young, definitely needs a decant. More acidic and thin than I remembered.

Served with sautéed beef tenderloin with pan sauce, roasted potatoes, salad. Decanted 20 minutes before dinner. Some very fine sediment in bottle of bottle. Clear, dark ruby, good color to rim, perhaps a touch of brick. Blueberry, raspberry, plum - almost a sweetness on the nose, but combined with an earthiness. Love this on the palate - mouth watering, creamy, smooth, dry, with a good finish. Matched up nicely with the steak (which was done spot on).

Much improved and certainly drinkable with a decant. Smoothed out with silky black and red fruits. Still firm on the finish.

Served with grilled steak topped with scape butter, baked potato, and roasted broccoli. Decanted 25 minutes prior to pouring. Nice clean ruby color, not quite opaque. Dark fruit, tobacco, dirt on the nose - nice. Dry, moderate tannin, medium weight, good balance and finish. A nice wine with a touch of richness. The decant was necessary to open this one up.

Dark fruit, black smoke, bright lemony acid. Vanilla. Rich black fruit but lean acidic structure. Creamy for cab franc.

This one was rough. Very tannic. Showed a hint of the dark fruit that was possible, but it never opened up. Not much on the nose either. Day number two and it's still closed. The vinturi and a steak didn't help. I can't help but wonder if this will be a lost cause. However, I will keep the next bottle for a few years to see what happens.

Young but nice balance if fruit, earth and acid - more austere than other CA cab francs