External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.9 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 322 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by DoubleD1969 on 3/4/2024: Drank next to the 1997 Ornellaia. Both bottles were double decanted in the afternoon then brought to the Hawksmoor NYC.
Ornellaia: 65% Cab, 30% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc.
The nose was a bit more expressive while decanting. Notes of raspberries, dried herbs, and wet earth. At the restaurant, a bit of barnyard crept in. Color had a maroon core that gradually lightened towards the edges. Looking at it next to the Ridge, it was obviously lighter in color. Wine was silky with tannins fully resolved. Dried red fruit, pomegranate seeds, oregano, and mushroom/earthy kind of taste. Still excellent.
Ridge MB: 85% Cab, 8% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cab Franc.
Like the Ornie when decanting, the nose was full of eucalyptus, black licorice, and graphite which receded somewhat (may have been the restaurant) and let the crushed black cherry fruit to emerge. Color was mostly opaque. Much fuller-bodied than the Ornellaia with the dark cherry, blackberry, forest floor combo. Fantastic as always. A better match for the charcoal-grilled steaks. (905 views) | | | Tasted by Ward Huang on 2/3/2024 & rated 99 points: Slow-ox for 12 hrs at cellar temp. Much better than last bottle. Decanting in the bottle with long time and less oxygen really helps showcase its full potential. (1333 views) | | | Tasted by A&C on 1/20/2024 & rated 99 points: This is an incredible wine. Simply stunning. I put this up there with one of the best bottles I've had over the course of the last couple of years. And it was a 1997. This is a very special wine. If you have any, you're lucky. Thanks to James for sharing last night!! (1399 views) | | | Tasted by thesternowl on 1/18/2024 & rated 95 points: 1997 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Retrospective (Omaha, NE): Presented single-blind; no formal notes. Wine #2 had great color, was developing, fresh, focused, balanced; great structure. One of those glasses of wine you didn’t want to end and, for me, a tough call for favorite of the flight along with Wine #1. I vacillated between this being Dominus or Monte Bello; ultimately calling the former. This is in a beautiful phase of life. Drink now through 2040. (1555 views) | | | Tasted by rcg62 on 1/5/2024 & rated 97 points: Wow wine. Youthful looking still, and the palate is plush and feels young in the same way. Feels like there are many years ahead. Huge nose, so tart and red-fruity and floral. Fruit bomb palate that lingers and still coats the teeth. Dare I say it? It will improve the next five years or so. (Admitted bias. I love Monte Bello!) (1441 views) | | | Tasted by DoubleD1969 on 11/23/2023: Last bottle of a 6-bottle purchase years ago. Very similar note to what I wrote in January. Crumbly and PITA cork. Double decanted and drank about half hour later. Delicious wine. (1256 views) | | | Tasted by lozatron on 11/23/2023: Thanksgiving Wimps 2023 - Alfred Stieglitz Table (La Trompette): The sommelier said "woof". We all said woof. This is still developing, still building in intensity. A lovely wine and good Monte Bello. My wine of the lunch. (1180 views) | | | Tasted by llink on 10/28/2023 & rated 94 points: PNP at birthday dinner with the St Jeans. Classic MB nose of dill, coconut, blackberries and cassis. Lovely palate just starting to show secondary character with fine grained and silky tannins, lively fruit and a silky texture. (1199 views) | | | Tasted by hprphf on 9/22/2023 & rated 91 points: Magnum. Herbal, cool, licorice. 91 (1523 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 7/1/2023: A Ridge Tahoe Weekend; 6/29/2023-7/2/2023 (Edgewood Resort): Really interesting to see my last note on this because my impression of this wine was almost totally the opposite. To be fair there was some bottle variation across. The first bottle we had was just tired and done. The second and third bottle seemed to have more life to them. Lots more cigar and leather notes though than I would have expected. Still has the black fruits. My impression across all of the bottles was it’s time to drink this up. It started to open with some more time in the glass but I think initial impression still right. (2262 views) | | | Tasted by Ward Huang on 7/1/2023 & rated 95 points: Lots of fruits, lots of acidity during 4 hours tasting. I have seen many positive notes below but I cannot find more comfortable things in this wine to rate a 97 or higher score. Maybe that is due to I did not decant this wine, or I did not have any other qualified old Bordeaux together to make a comparison. (1534 views) | | | Tasted by merlotsmile on 6/15/2023 & rated 93 points: Vinminnen 16 (1591 views) | | | Tasted by phandley66 on 6/2/2023 & rated 92 points: Very similar to last time. Still pretty tightly wound. Lots of cedar, cherry. Not sure I see this improving but will be interesting to see how it is in a couple more years. Definitely still drinking very well now. (1455 views) | | | Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 5/15/2023: darker and heavier than I expected, but still good (1559 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 4/23/2023 & rated 93 points: Tasted double blind. No detailed notes taken. This was good but not on the same level as the Bordeauxs we had before (Gruaud Larose & Conseillante 1989, Evangile 1982). Classic, rather old school Cabernet with a good fruit core and an intense layer of minerality, medium complexity and not perfectly delinated. The structure should allow for many more years of ageing but I‘m not sure the wine will improve much.
Decanting: Not decanted, we followed it over an hour with little change. Doesn‘t seem in need of a very long decant. (1976 views) | | | Tasted by wabi47 on 4/22/2023 & rated 91 points: cork grudgingly out with an ah so; medium body; lovely mixed berry with secondary notes; tannins mostly resolved; some cedar; aging gracefully, with some elegance (1262 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 4/19/2023 & rated 98 points: Not decanted, but would do a brief double-decant next time. At 25 years old, this is still an intense an bold wine with red and dark currant fruit along with spice, tobacco, mineral notes, a touch of eucalyptus and roasted coffee beans. Juicy and fresh palate, great balance and perfect tension. (1629 views) | | | Tasted by msuwine on 3/13/2023 & rated 94 points: This integrated and minty Cabernet blend is a bit past its prime, but it's tasty and intriguing nonetheless. Like watching a familiar movie, I see certain landmarks - e.g., the dill from the American Oak, the damp and spicy notes from the Santa Cruz Mountains - but this wine deserves to be tasted as of this moment. Some wines get old; others mature: this has done both, but, as of right now, it's a wine worth drinking.
Pomegranate in color and medium in body, the wine offers aromas of black cherry, eucalyptus, oregano, and tapenade. The flavors meld together, with seamless notes of dried blueberry, leather, and peppercorn, with a savory finish that has lost some of its verve. Blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cab Franc. 12.9% alcohol. Give it an hour or so to open up, and do mind the sediment. Drink in the next few years. (2150 views) | | | Tasted by Ericsson on 2/11/2023 & rated 94 points: Magnum. Bouchon s’est cassé au milieu mais finalement j’ai réussi à extraire le reste sans trop de soucis. Ouvert 2 heures puis carafé 2 heures.
Robe grenat moyennement brillante.
Au nez, cassis et autres fruits (mûres, framboises), une touche de menthol, épices douces.
Au palais, puissant, volumineux, tannique mais bel équilibre malgré une acidité légèrement déficiente.
Finale longue et suave.
Pour mes goûts, à boire même en magnum, avec de la réserve (7 ans depuis ma dernière bouteille) (1620 views) | | | Tasted by DoubleD1969 on 1/29/2023: I’ve had this bottle for at least 12 years from an auction purchase. Tried to open with a corkscrew because I couldn’t find my ah-so. Cork was brittle but wine stains were only at the bottom where it was in contact with the wine.
Decanted. Delicate aromas of of warm plum compote, cedar, and dark chocolate. Color is youthful with an opaque dark core that lightens to a candy apple red edge. Full bodied yet felt light. Initial notes of black tea and crushed sweet Rainier cherries on the palate. Then fresh plums with its acidity. Balanced and delicious. Still has some tannins that hasn’t fully integrated. Many years ahead of it. Sadly, I have just one bottle left. (1550 views) | | | Tasted by ShadowIII on 1/21/2023 & rated 93 points: Classic Cali cab at peak, currants, dark fruit, pencil lead, cedar, well integrated tannins, long finish (1383 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 11/6/2022: Black currant fruit to it. (2131 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 11/6/2022: Now this is concentrated and powerful, meaning youthful. T
While drinkable, compared to the rest young. (1827 views) | | | Tasted by llink on 10/20/2022 & rated 94 points: Decanted and served. Minimal sediment. Deep red and black color. Beautiful nose, red currant, blackberries, coconut and dill. Robust and mouth filling palate, balanced with a superb texture, and resolved tannins. Very little signs of age. Really good spot tonight. (1831 views) | | | Tasted by joshabramson on 9/19/2022 & rated 95 points: Big, dark, ripe and rich -- still fairly primary, I think this will be better in 5-10 years based on my experience with older Monte Bello. Unless you like to drink young California cabernet, in which case you'll probably love this right now. (2172 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Brook
Decanter, Ridge Monte Bello retrospective (10/25/2022)
(Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Brook
Decanter, Ridge Monte Bello retrospective (10/25/2022)
(Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/25/2022)
(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, Vintage Retrospective: The 1997 Napa Valley Cabernets (Sep 2017) (9/1/2017)
(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Central Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/27/2017)
(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (7/8/2016)
(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2000, IWC Issue #90
(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Red Blend) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 1999, IWC Issue #84
(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Red Blend) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 1998, IWC Issue #78
(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Red Blend) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (6/20/2010)
(Ridge Monte Bello) Dark red violet color; ripe plum, berry, blackberry nose; tart berry, blackberry, black plum palate with sweet tannins; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc) 93 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (4/17/2010)
(Ridge Monte Bello) Opaque dark red violet color; nice herbal, herbaceous, tart black fruit, sage nose; tightish, tart berry, plum, mineral palate; with depth; medium-plus finish (my #4 of the flight, group's #5 of 8) 93 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (11/18/2007)
(Ridge Monte Bello) Dark red violet color; ripe cherry, vanilla and black cherry nose; concentrated, ripe cassis and plum palate; medium-plus finish 94 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and JancisRobinson.com and Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Ridge Producer website | Wikipedia
Ridge Vineyards is a California winery specializing in premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay wines. Ridge produces wine at two winery locations in northern California. The original winery facilities are located at an elevation of 2,300 feet (700 m) on Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA near Cupertino, California. The other Ridge winery facilities are at Lytton Springs in the Dry Creek Valley AVA of Sonoma County.Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.Monte Bello On weinlagen-infoUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia
Once referred to by wine writers as the Chaine d'Or -- or "golden chain" -- the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA sits above Silicon Valley, running along the craggy range next to the Pacific on some of the prettiest parts of Northern California. The area supports more than 75 wineries, despite being limited by geography and high land prices.
In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. |
|
