Ridge Vineyards
Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Santa Cruz Mountains, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Rookie mistake to drink this beauty right after the SQN…but the error of a hedonist, to be sure. This was devoured before it could warm up from cellar but just wow. Iconic. Luscious.
Rookie mistake to drink this beauty right after the SQN…but the error of a hedonist, to be sure. This was devoured before it could warm up from cellar but just wow. Iconic. Luscious.
Apr 5th, 2022
Mini Monte Bello vertical at a wonderful dinner at a friend’s house. 06, 07, 08. The 07 is really good, but probably the least distinguished of an admittedly distinguished group. Very Old/style Bordelaise. Nose of medium intensity: cedar, sweet old wood, dry gravel. Elegant, everything in perfect balance. A Cab for beef rather than lamb.
Mini Monte Bello vertical at a wonderful dinner at a friend’s house. 06, 07, 08. The 07 is really good, but probably the least distinguished of an admittedly distinguished group. Very Old/style Bordelaise. Nose of medium intensity: cedar, sweet old wood, dry gravel. Elegant, everything in perfect balance. A Cab for beef rather than lamb.
Jun 13th, 2021
To bring in the New Year, here is a delicious wine, one of California's icons. Happy New Year to all of you.
Dark ruby in color with a short brick rim. Not showing age at all.
Great nose of blueberries, cherries, currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, spices, graphite, dark coffee, chocolates, tobacco, beef jerky and peppercorn.
Full bodied, elegant and smooth, with medium acidity and nice legs.
Dry on the palate with blueberries, plums, currants, oak, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco leaf, peppercorn, pencil lead, light vegetables, coffee and chocolates.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a great Cabernet blend from California. Showing great complexity with a soft mouthfeel.
This 13 year old is a delicious Bordeaux blend. Well balanced and engaging, with a tangy finish that makes it interesting.
Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, show the tannins and become its own.
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with light appetizers. A good wine to pair with BBQ Meats.
Thank you Scott for sharing this with me.
Drinking very nicely now and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 18 months in mostly American oak barrels.
13.1% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$230 (current vintage).
To bring in the New Year, here is a delicious wine, one of California's icons. Happy New Year to all of you.
Dark ruby in color with a short brick rim. Not showing age at all.
Great nose of blueberries, cherries, currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, spices, graphite, dark coffee, chocolates, tobacco, beef jerky and peppercorn.
Full bodied, elegant and smooth, with medium acidity and nice legs.
Dry on the palate with blueberries, plums, currants, oak, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco leaf, peppercorn, pencil lead, light vegetables, coffee and chocolates.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a great Cabernet blend from California. Showing great complexity with a soft mouthfeel.
This 13 year old is a delicious Bordeaux blend. Well balanced and engaging, with a tangy finish that makes it interesting.
Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, show the tannins and become its own.
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with light appetizers. A good wine to pair with BBQ Meats.
Thank you Scott for sharing this with me.
Drinking very nicely now and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 18 months in mostly American oak barrels.
13.1% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$230 (current vintage).
Still ridiculously young, but oh so good. Powerful nose has cassis, graphite, cedar, crushed stone. Wow. Very tight in the mouth, but very concentrated, balanced, and long. Check back in 5 years! Only 13.1%!!
Still ridiculously young, but oh so good. Powerful nose has cassis, graphite, cedar, crushed stone. Wow. Very tight in the mouth, but very concentrated, balanced, and long. Check back in 5 years! Only 13.1%!!
Oct 21st, 2018
In killer shape at 11 years old.
In killer shape at 11 years old.
May 24th, 2018
I love Monte Bello. However, the 07 is not quite my favorite but it’s still very good. It’s weak point is it’s mid-palate. It’s hallow. Outside of that, it’s an elegant beautiful wine. Perhaps, the mid-palate sorts it’s self out in time but not now. It’s still early for this wine.
I love Monte Bello. However, the 07 is not quite my favorite but it’s still very good. It’s weak point is it’s mid-palate. It’s hallow. Outside of that, it’s an elegant beautiful wine. Perhaps, the mid-palate sorts it’s self out in time but not now. It’s still early for this wine.
Jan 14th, 2018
Perfectly aged, drinking beautifully
Perfectly aged, drinking beautifully
Sep 27th, 2017