Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Ridge – Monte Bello 2017
Santa Cruz Mountains – California, USA 🇺🇸
Blend: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Overview
One of California’s most legendary wines, Ridge Monte Bello has been estate-grown, produced, and bottled entirely in-house since the 1960s. The 2017 vintage reflects a Bordeaux-inspired blend from the cool Santa Cruz Mountains, offering both structure and elegance. (Educational note: Monte Bello’s higher-altitude vineyards give cooler temperatures, yielding more restrained, ageworthy wines compared to Napa Valley powerhouses.)

Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry, cassis, and red plum at the core, accented by cedar, graphite, and cocoa. Hints of tobacco, dried herbs, and floral notes bring depth and complexity.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with polished tannins and refreshing acidity. A graceful, layered wine that “dances on the palate,” finishing long and harmonious with both power and finesse.

Food Pairings
Perfect with grilled lamb, prime rib, or braised short ribs. Also pairs beautifully with mushroom risotto or aged cheeses.

Verdict
A benchmark California classic — Bordeaux in inspiration, but with a Santa Cruz identity all its own. The 2017 Monte Bello is elegant, expressive, and deeply satisfying. 🍷

Did You Know?
Ridge’s Monte Bello gained international fame in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting, where it ranked among the world’s top Cabernets, cementing California’s place on the fine wine map.

Collector’s Rarity 📌
Highly allocated and cellared by collectors worldwide, Ridge Monte Bello is a vertical-worthy wine with decades of aging potential. — 13 hours ago

J Choi

9.0

Over the hill — 3 months ago

Austin Moberg

9.1

Good and complex but the price is definitely high thankfully was a gift — 2 months ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.2

Nose was shy, beautiful palate! See @Delectable Wine’s review. — 3 days ago

Todd Anderson

9.2

Lovely delicate fruit balanced with some complexity. In a good drinking window. Paired well with grilled salmon for dinner — a month ago

Matt Perlman

9.1

Decent but could use a little more oomph — 2 months ago

Sam Rubin

9.6

Very complex strong Pinot noir. Antonio’s 60th in Nantucket!!! — 2 months ago

Ericsson

9.2

Current release. Still need much time in the bottle, but will show well in about a decade. — 13 days ago

Pooneet K

9.0

Not as good as the bottle we had 2 years ago. All of the great lemon peel and minerality and texture and acid are still there - but this is oddly lacking on the mid palate, so you get a nice entry and exit but not a lot of meat in the middle. — 2 months ago

Janice in Livermore

9.0

2019 Cab at Kuumbwa Jazz Club in Santa Cruz. Raul Midon concert. — a month ago