Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

1 of CA's oldest wineries, Far Niente, founded 1885 by John Benson. Winery flourished until Prohibition, when it was abandoned & fell into complete disrepair. Stately stone shell of a winery purchased in 1979 by Gil Nickel. A big wine! Tropical and stone fruit aromas with complex spice and oak notes. On the palate apple, peach and citrus flavors, creamy, with buttery toasty oak, fig/honey tones. Long finish ending with vibrant acidity & mineral character. Consistent. — a month ago

Ericsson

9.3

New vintage for me. This estate Cab always delivers, even on what some may call off vintages. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.7

Of all the American red wines that participated in the Judgement of Paris, it could be argued that Monte Bello has shown the greatest propensity to age. In fact, I would go as far as it requires lengthy cellaring to extract its best. I’ve had the good fortune to drink a number of tremendous vintages of Monte Bello over the last several years and this one has got to be at or near the top of the lot.

Opened and poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1991 Monte Bello pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core moving out towards a light ruby rim; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing (still!) with gorgeous notes of ripe and tart black currants, mixed bramble fruit, tobacco, some purple flowers, dill, mint, leather, earth, vanilla and associated baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. The structure remains tremendous which again, seems to indicate youth. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is super long and immensely satisfying. This is one of those wines that will outlive most humans. Drinking well now with a short decant but this has the gas to see 2061 with ease. — 4 months ago

Julia Indik

9.5

First flavors are a smooth and elegant blending of dark cherries, plums, cocoa, touch of orange, licorice. The tannins are silky and carry off the acidity that lingers. — a month ago

with Robert

Michael Patrone

9.8

Nicely integrated. 3/15/25 — 2 months ago

with Meghana, Carolyn and 1 other

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

No formal notes . Quite dense ruby . Quite high toned floral character on the nose, very different from all others so far , this had to be the Petrus . More purple fruits , spicy . Spicy and rounded and quite exotic in character . On the palate this shows a juicy note and a rounder , richer riper tannin . Quite round on the finish , but ok generous finish . Floral and charming . This certainly showed exuberance and youthful , though it is also quite elegant and relatively fine boned in style. This can be drunk now and over the next 10 perhaps 15 years — 4 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Established in 1997 by the partners of Far Niente. Medium lemon color with aromas of tropical and stone fruit with citrus and toasty oak notes. On the palate flavors of apple, pear and peach, lemon zest, vanilla oak and wet stone notes. Nice balance with tangy acidity on long finish ending with fruit, oak and rich minerality. Classic, very nice! — a month ago

Stuart Dershaw

9.2

Good vintage. Stone fruit on the palette with good salinity. — 3 months ago

Nishith Jobanputra

9.0

Excellent. Cork & Board. — 7 months ago

Mike Evans

9.3

By far the best Kongsgaard Chard I’ve had (and I’ve had a lot) with an unexpected brightness and acidity. — 8 months ago