Neil Valenzuela

9.2

The 2022 release is a hit!
Deep purple color. Aromas of black cherry, cola, dried herbs and cedar. Black and blue fruit on the palate, herbs and oak on the finish.

🏅97 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
🏅94 Points - @Dr. Owen Bargreen — 16 days ago

Kland Aida

9.2

A very good Valle de Guadalupe wine. Smooth, chocolate, leather, and earthy. Great with steaks. May 2024 — 2 months ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.3

Hi everyone! This is lovely (rare descriptor for me). Medium red brick color, medium plus body, medium plus alcohol but subtle. Nice acidity, and tannins make this absolutely drinkable right now-- 8/26/25 my 58th birthday, forgot to give everyone my new Miami address for bottled gifts 😜 . Certainly floral notes on both the nose and palate, but not rose, some cedar overtones, with an enjoyable minerality. It's lovely because it all comes together like a beautiful gift basket (pun not intended) that would impress a royal lady, but stand up proud for a gentleman. It will improve, but you don't have to let it!

93+ points — 2 months ago

Nick Jouras

9.4

Double magnum still has a lot of life left we sure enjoyed it with the crowd!! — 5 days ago

jochen rueckert

9.0

Nice. Old school not very funky but nice — a month ago

Ericsson

9.3

One of those surprisingly good wines. — a month ago

Angelo Casagrande

8.9

Soft, fairly light wine with mild tannins. Lot of cherry, bit of tobacco and licorice; didn’t find it all that fragrant, but it is a good value. Would go with a wide range of foods. — 3 months ago

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. — a month ago

Chip Habegger

9.1

Nearly 8 years old and the acidity is still off the charts. Love it. Little smoky note on the nose and rocky notes at the end—so volcano. Lots of cherry with a bit of raspberry zip in the middle. Moderate-minus tannins. Wish it lingered longer. — 2 months ago

Craig Matthews

9.3

Dry, light, earthy. Quite nice. — 3 months ago