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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.7 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 103 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by aquacongas on 11/19/2022 & rated 94 points: blind, together with Monte Bello 85 and La Landonne 85
I guessed the common ground was the grape variety namely Syrah but I was only one third was correct. After knowing it was not a Syrah I guessed Cali Cab. Powerful but reluctant likewise. Not reached his peak. For me at the same level as Margaux 1985. 94 (2030 views) | | | Tasted by ShadowIII on 9/25/2022 & rated 94 points: Wonderful example of a great California cab on a plateau, balancing fruit and secondary notes, with currants, dark fruits, cedar, pencil lead, soft tannins, long finish. (1615 views) | | | Tasted by Rob MacKay on 8/6/2022 & rated 97 points: Super elegant. Still has plenty of structure. Excellent. (1891 views) | | | Tasted by joshabramson on 5/6/2022 & rated 95 points: A bit of funk out of the bottle, but that blew off quickly. Color and fruit are in great shape, youthful and very fresh. Smells and tastes like great old Bordeaux. (2171 views) | | | Tasted by racerchris on 4/22/2022 & rated 94 points: Very youthful. Great color and nose. Better than the '78 I had recently. Sour cherries, still plenty of tannin, medium long finish. (2072 views) | | | Tasted by WineDoctors on 11/27/2021 & rated 95 points: Great birthday wine in Bodega Bay, showing really well (1836 views) | | | Tasted by S1 on 11/7/2021: Chas Offlineorama VI, Another embarrassment of riches; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Various locations): Green pepper, less power than the ’78. Astringent dried cranberry, wet earth and red currant. Great spiciness. (2069 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 11/7/2021: Charleston VI; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): There is a definite jump between the 78 and the 85. This is super young. Very bright. Lots of red berries. Some spicy notes. A touch floral. Of the group it was a wine that rewarded patience in the glass. Just on the edge of being too young but really great wine (1964 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 11/2/2021: Ridge Monte Bello Retrospective (Porter House): Also very fresh, this time it's a bit of black cherries to it. A hint of sour (like those cherries you can pick off a tree that usually get paired with some type of sugar to actually eat them). Briar patch. Delicious wine. (1816 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 10/27/2020: Easy WOTN. I always love these and these with age are just a real treat. I ordered completely incorrectly for this (all sushi), but it didn't matter at all. The wine was singing and happy. A bit herbaceous and some eucalyptus and that kindof menthol note. Just a touch of black fruits. Very tasty. (2742 views) | | | Tasted by M DU VIN on 8/31/2020 & rated 95 points: Still a rich wine with wonderful bouquet of saddle leather and black fruit. No signs of bricking and still has several years of fabulous drinking ahead of it. (2214 views) | | | Tasted by fcxj on 9/25/2019 & rated 88 points: Very smoky. Clears up into mint. Finishes too dry. (3303 views) | | | Tasted by DaleW on 7/6/2019: 375. I though this was absolutely lovely and a pointe. Balanced acids. Rich cassis fruit, leather, an almost Marthas-like eucalyptus/menthol note. Long earthyt finish. Wish this had been a 750! A- (3213 views) | | | Tasted by ElAzul on 4/8/2019 & rated 92 points: Still loving this wine and my last bottle. Not as much fruit as I remember from my previous tasting but the warmth, finish and classic taste is such a pleasure. This is why we keep wine for 30+ years! (3461 views) | | | Tasted by viking92067 on 8/30/2018 & rated 93 points: I love Ridge Monte Bello. They need time. This was pushing it but still lovely. If you have any this old drink up as this is past its prime but still so darn good. (3584 views) | | | Tasted by jbaron on 5/27/2018 & rated 94 points: There’s not much like a well bred, 32 year old bottle of Cabernet. Slightly slight nose, great taste, excellent mouth, good length. (3985 views) | | | Tasted by sunnylea57 on 4/13/2018 & rated 93 points: A fab showing. Youthful, with fine tannins and vibrant sweet red fruit. A faint bell pepper note crept up after some time in the glass, but it only added more interest to the wine. (3357 views) | | | Tasted by ElAzul on 11/8/2017 & rated 95 points: Cork amazingly intact with level just above neck. Definite amber tint to it, and first nose impression of forest floor, damp eArth which over an hour evolved to mostly floral notes with a strong hint of violets. Silky smooth mouth feel and tannins softened but very much alive. Gives a long 20 seconds finish with verve and fullness. I initially rated this about 90 but as it breathed and evolved I went from like to love. Very happy to have cellared this wine for almost 30 years. Blueberry and violets on the palate. Mature but will live for another decade if kept properly. (3749 views) | | | Tasted by Nanda on 10/14/2017 & rated 93 points: Ridge Monte Bello Vertical, 1980-1999 (Chez Moll): Popped and slow-oxed ~3-4 hours before dinner. Here too there is surprising richness to the plum fruit and beautiful detailing in the aromas of menthol, herbs and tobacco. Delicious palate with great concentration and fruit richness. Bright and vibrant acids carry the fruit. Layered with menthol, herbs, bell pepper and cigar ash. Excellent and held up well over a couple of hours. (4210 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 10/14/2017 & rated 93 points: Ridge Monte Bello, 1980-1999 (Chicago, IL): This was perhaps a slightly foursquare example of the MB, which means that at the very least, it was a fairly decent wine. I'm not sure that this wine had any features that particularly stood out. It had some nice secondary characteristics, with a bit of herbaceousness and menthol. Not heavy on the palate at all, with resolved tannins and a bright acidity. A textbook claret. (4166 views) | | | Tasted by mhudes on 10/8/2017 & rated 92 points: Decanted and served blind to us at the Wolf restaurant in Oakland. Very fragrant cabernet like nose, ruby in color and on the palate there is cedar and tart cherry. Tannins are fully resolved, certainly acidity with a somewhat abrupt finish. To my credit, I initially think that this may be an excellent old California cab, that is still good but past it's apex. However, because of the strong cherry note and acidity (both of which went nicely with my duck leg confit), I guessed 1990 Burgundy. Although, as usual, I was wrong, I was fairly pleased with my reasoning. Sadly, I believe my logic may have led others astray. A pretty good wine that was simply overwhelmed by a magnificent 1986 Mouton Rothschild (which was also opened blind for this dinner). (2549 views) | | | Tasted by europat55 on 8/4/2017 & rated 91 points: Nose: A- Palate: B++
My #9, Group's #7 (75 pts). Tasted Blind (1555 views) | | | Tasted by dkentaustin on 7/16/2017: fruit still there but flat. still good structure but clearly over the hill (3077 views) | | | Tasted by William Kelley on 6/27/2017 & rated 94 points: The 1985 is another success-story in the history of this dependably long-lived bottling, revealing a classic Monte Bello bouquet of wild plum, loamy soil and complex nuances of menthol and cedar. On the palate the wine is fully mature, with melted tannins and a nice girdle of acidity that carries through the long finish. A lovely middle-weight that is drinking well but should hold for another decade. 13.1% (4955 views) | | | Tasted by jlgnml on 5/31/2017 & rated 97 points: Les Degustateurs 1985 New World vs Old World (George Trois Winnetka, IL): I always heard and read that this btl outshines Bordeaux in comparative tastings and this btl did not disappoint me or the group. Solid showing. #1/8 (2974 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, Cellar Favorite: 1985 Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Canyon Road & 1985 Monte Bello (Jan 2024) (1/1/2024)
(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Central Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/24/2023)
(Ridge, Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains 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 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 Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, May/Jun 2021, Issue #93, The 1984 and 1985 Vintages Of California Cabernet Sauvignon
(Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Monte Bello”(Santa Cruz Mountains)) Login and sign up and see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, May/Jun 2020, Issue #87, Recently-Tasted American Wines Lifting the Spirits Of The Sad Spring of 2020
(Cabernet Sauvignon “Monte Bello”- Ridge Vineyards (Santa Cruz Mountains)) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Elaine Chukan Brown
JancisRobinson.com (10/21/2018)
(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By William Kelley
Decanter, Ridge Monte Bello Vertical (11/27/2017)
(Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Cellar Favorites: Seven Classics from Ridge (Jun 2017) (6/17/2017)
(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Central Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Ridge Monte Bello Revisited: 1968 – 2012 (Jul 2016) (7/1/2016)
(Ridge Cabernet Sauvginon Monte Bello Central Coast) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/21/2015)
(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/28/2014)
(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, September/October 2000, IWC Issue #92
(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Red Blend) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (6/17/2011)
(Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello) Bricking medium garnet red color with pale meniscus; mature, appealing, tart plum, iodine, Bordeaux-like nose; tasty, mature, iodine, tart cassis, cedar, tart plum palate with fine grained tannins; long finish (most Bordeaux-like of our 11 vintage vertical; 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot) 95 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (3/11/2010)
(Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello) Medium dark red violet color; nice menthol, eucalyptus, tart black fruit, "pondwater," currant nose; tasty, mature, tart plum, eucalyptus, menthol, black licorice palate with resolved, soft tannins; long finish 94 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (3/17/2009)
(Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello) Dark red violet color with pale meniscus; mature, mushroom, black fruit, tobacco and charcoal nose; tasty, mature, black fruit palate with depth, mineral and charcoal; long finish 94 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and Decanter and View From the Cellar 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.Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonMonte 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. |
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