Consumed in a restaurant, so these impressions are from memory. I gather that Ridge did two separate bottlings (with different blends) in '98. This one was 76% Cab, 20% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot.
Dining room was dim, so I didn't get a good sense of the color. A fabulous nose, fragrant but not cologne-y, with dark cherry, dark plum, ripe blackberry, and a hint of licorise. A shade or two lighter on the palate than I expected, more finesse than power, with dark-fruit sweetness framed by fine acidity and soft tannins. Fine-grained sediment proved to be a problem as the bottle poured down, and in the last couple of glasses the flavors got cloudy and bitter. This restaurant has a respected wine program, but I'll bet the bottle got jostled a bit too much on its trip from the cellar. I'd decant if I had any bottles stored. $60 restaurant price.