A powerful wine if not the most finessed. Very enjoyable and likely to continue to improve for at least 5 years and then stay at peak for for 10-15 years thereafter
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2024 New Year's Day Double Blind Tasting: Double-blind. This is a superb wine and one that threw everybody off. Exotic nose that exploded in the glass. Deep, rich, perfumed fruit with a sweet finish with a touch of spice. Is it old world? New world? Nobody could nail it. I called it '04 Solaia and was obviously wrong. This is the best Monte Bello I've ever tasted. Wow!
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Holy cow am I glad I sat on this wine, that said, it really needed a full 2 hour decant (from a magnum stored in a wine fridge).
Nose: initially was a bosenberry/black berry bomb, the nose is really incredible right away where you think "could this be the best wine I've ever tasted?"
with air you get a super balanced nose with more mushroom and a bit of minty tobacco
Taste: this wine is just so complex and structured, layered with berrys, mushroom, tobacco and the tannins really are still surprisingly present but carrying those great flavors into a big finish of mint, tobacco, and dark cherry.
The fact that this wine improved with 2 hours of air (from a magnum) at 22 years old is a telling testament to the structure and quality of this wine.
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Dinner at Union Square Cafe, brought this from my cellar, drank after a 2014 Antica Terra Pinot. It was open over an hour before drinking, consumed over an hour. Prior bottle 3 years ago. I had planned to wait longer on next bottles, but it was fun to show this wine to my guest.
Prior notes: "Nose showing dark fruits, currants/cherry, pencil and sweet tobacco. Smooth and elegant texture. Palate showing dark cherry, spice, leather and black licorice. Tannins still present but softening a bit. Full bodied, long and layered finish."
This bottle did not disappoint. Nose was extraordinary, jumping out of the glass. Cherry/dark fruits, graphite still showing. Full body, long finish. Ripeness and energy in this wine is notable. My guest made the comment that if drinking blind he would have guessed 5-7 years old.
I was not in a spot to open this before arriving at the restaurant. It will benefit from a full 2 hour decant, it was good out the bottle, better at one hour and really shining by 2 hrs..at 22 years old it still needs to wake up a bit
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Consistent with previous tasting notes - really nice wine, aged aromatics beginning to make their appearance, just a little too assertive with tannins on the finish. But don't let that stop you from opening a bottle now to check in.
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Darn near perfect! wow, i've been a ridge montebello collector and had this wine from inception, been sleeping in my cellar and it was time to open it for my 34th wedding anniversary, steak house dinner in roswell (ga). I am not sure how much life is left in this merlot forward version, maybe a couple, but i think i nailed it tonight by opening it and decanting, letting it sit for an hour while we had seafood and champagne. Then the aroma is ripe red fruits and purée. An overtone of earthy - maybe mushroom - brought back memory of one of my favorite bottles ever a 1989 haut brion. The smell is heavenly to me. The flavor is deep and many layers and went through evolution/phases during the evening slow go eat/savor. Of course, matched well to blue cheese over wedge and then spinalis... I tasted Red berries of all kinds, definite cedar (was it the smell or taste or both, hmmm), graphite, some leather and did i say deep berries (not berry forward). This is a champ and made the evening. If you have it - drink it enjoy it, this is a wild / different montebello.
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Spectacular! I tried a 2001 Ridge Monte Bello with my management team from work in a Mag format at an offsite planning session. It was the WOTN against some very stiff and amazing competition. I sourced two more 750s to share with my wife and this bottle is just as amazing. At 22 years old, this was a stunner. On the nose is ripe red raspberry and a melange of macerated berry purée. An overtone of slightly sweet tobacco that reminds me of the box my grandfather used to store his pipe tobacco in was on the nose as well. Some porcini mushroom and a bit of forest floor rounded out the nose. The nose alone is so complex and beautiful. It’s like a Haut Brion without and of the Barnyard Funk. Now, moving onto the palate. The flavor is appropriately subtle and layered for the age with red berries, pipe tobacco, leather and cedar. You want to hold this wine in your mouth because the subtlety of the flavors is truly special. I wish every bottle could be as nuanced as this. One more in the cellar. Will be waiting, but not long, for a very special occasion! We his is drinking like an absolute champion at the moment.
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It is often hard to match the lofty expectations of meeting one's wine heroes, and unfortunately I felt slightly deflated when I popped this for my friends.
Perfumed nose, but more restrained compared to the open and opulent MB 2012 SKT shared with us a year ago. That was then one of the finest wines I ever tried, and left me with a lasting impression of wanting to get my own MB at some point.
Hints of flint and limestone, developing concentration with a medium body initially, very long finish. Blackberries and black plums, with cassis and dark chocolate on the mid palate too.
Even after a decant of 1-2 hours, this did not fully open through the 4 hour dinner session.
Nevertheless.. I did not feel deflated! Wines go through phases, and I was proud of the thought process and buying this all the way from Zurich, and glad that I had saved this bottle for a special occasion, and for special people.. so no better time and place then to open this for this specific group!
In this blind taste, my wine gurus described this as super perfumed, possibly Italian or Bordeaux, and the youngest in the flight so far (It wasn't, being 22 years old!).
Pencil lead notes, and possibly Merlot dominant with little bell peppers. 2 guessed Right Bank Bordeaux, 1 Left Bank, and 1 New World. What a chameleon this Monte Bello proved to be!
More violets and blueberries, and a more cohesive mouthfeel is likely to be there after this "sleepy phase" period, I certainly expected more and hope to get the chance to try this again later this decade.
Back in 2011, Robert Parker rated this vintage 99 points. The anticipated maturity back then was circa 2020 to 2040, I wonder if I may have popped this one a wee bit early, or perhaps its in a "sleeping phase"?
Robert Parker described this 2001 as spectacular, but still young with lots of promise. Whilst full-bodied and silky textured, the secondary nuances have not yet begun to develop. In fact, he said it tastes more like a 3-4 year old Monte Bello than one that is ten years of age.
Interestingly, RP described that this cuvee may prove somewhat atypical due to the huge percentage of Merlot in the final blend and the higher than normal alcohol. He concluded that "make no mistake about this Monte Bello - it is a great wine".
Ridge Monte Bello is located high on a mountain top overlooking Silicon Valley, at an elevation of nearly 1,000 m above sea level. These very steep hills make up one of California’s most unique wine appellations, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA.
The history and its legacy have been established by 2 wine visionaries: Osea Perrone, an Italian immigrant who first planted the vineyard in 1886, and Paul Draper, who joined Ridge in 1969 as winemaker.
Draper’s natural winemaking philosophy led to his Ridge Monte Bello 1971 Cabernet Sauvignon achieving 5th place in the 1976 Judgement of Paris wine tasting. Ridge's wine came just after Stag’s Leap, Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Montrose and Haut-Brion!
Ridge Monte Bello 2001 is from the vineyard's 40th anniversary vintage. This is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 8 % Petit Verdot and was bottled in 2003.
I love the details and text on the rear label, where Paul Draper writes that "5-8 years of bottle age will bring generous rewards, and 20 years will bring full maturity."
Bottle 5 of 6, CNY Chor 10 and "Farewell TC" held in my home over Satay Station and Butchers Table takeaway delights, with SKT and MK, DQ and BL, LMC, TC and ourselves.
PnP’ed and consumed over 3 hours. Deep ruby in the glass with little browning despite 21 years of age. Ready from the get-go, the wine showed pronounced aromas of dried blackberry, black plum, cassis, dark chocolate, dill, cedar, and earth. On the palate, medium+ acidity, ripe, abundant tannins that’s mostly resolved, and a long, complex finish that barely shows the heat from the 14.2% ABV. So well-made that I am now also one of the many Monte Bello fans out there.
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Absolutely stunning. A short decant and drinking beautifully now. Voluptuous and so well integrated. Could easily travel another few years but no reason to delay enjoying this. Very different from the 2008 I had recently which was lighter on the palate and needed more airing. Head to head I would prefer the ‘01.
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2001 Ridge Monte Bello Cellared since purchase 2 hour decant Deep crimson in glass with very slight lightning at the rim. Complex nose of black fruit, leather, and forest floor. It was full bodied with a mouth filling blend of rich fruit (56% Cabernet, 36% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot). The wine was very complex and long, with integrated tannins all of which produced a great mouth feel and a 30+ finish. It was tasted in a lineup with the 1999 Château Palmer, the 2000 Château Margaux and the 1999 Modavi Reserve, and was the wine of the night. An outstanding Montebello drinking at its acme right now 96 points. Bravo
Magnum, opened 6 hours before tasting. Big bright nose of ripe cabernet, elegant and complex. the palate is structured but tanins are polished. it is round, juicy, elegant, fresh and long at the same time. still very young and will go for at least 10 years with some upside.
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Super stiff competition on the night, including a 1989 LMHB and 1994 Mount Mary Quintet, plus younger 100-point Cali cabs, might have cost my rating a point or two. Ridge MB is my favorite American red, and I'm guessing this will hit peak in another 5 years and sing for 10-15 after that. I rated a prior bottle 98 and think that range of 96-98 right now feels right. To get the most of this (or any Ridge MB), don't confuse it amidst a cacophony of wine, as we did last night. Enjoy it in more isolation to best contemplate its subtle glories.
Decanted for an hour and served at DED “retirement” dinner. Dark garnet. Nose of dense currant, pencil lead, plum blossom, and dark berry. Completely harmonious layers of plum, pure black currant, hints of eucalyptus, and tobacco hitting the palate with effortless concentration and elegance. Moderate acidity and smoothed tannin leading to a very long finish of still-vibrant fruit hovering over a structured foundation at the end. A monument of a wine, perfect with rack of lamb.
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This was really interesting compared to past vintages of MB(36% Merlot). The weightlessness in the mouth was extraordinary. The fruit was pure, never overripe or sweet.
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Really great, Ridge is recommending this and the ‘04 as current drinks and boy are they right. Bright crimson color with not bricking but that cork came out in pieces. The nose was very fresh and full of smoky cranberry and just a hint of that American oak. Nice balance between acid, tannin and fruit that bodes well for further life but why wait. There’s a great fruit, tannin, great liveliness with a long but drying finish that doesn’t cloy or pucker. Even better than the ‘04 we had before that was great.
Decanted 3 hours, served with grilled T-bone. Wonderful aromas with blackberry, spice, pencil shavings, wild berry, and floral. Load with flavor showing blackberry, wild berry, spice, pencil shaving, tobacco, chocolate and earth. Soft tannins in the long finish. Just starting to hit its stride. No hurry to open the remaining bottles.
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No notes taken. This is a great vintage that was gorgeous young. I found a bunch at a good price recently to add to my stash. Hadn't had one in many years, so a get together with some local winemakers was a good opportunity to check in on it. Opened at the end of the evening as a pop-n-pour and got to follow it for an hour, until it was gone. Impressive, for sure. The baby fat is gone, the Draper perfume is pretty much gone. It showed more like Saratoga fruit. Opened up nicely with air. I'd say its potential was on display, so our group understood how great this wine is. But, it was nowhere near where it will be. Not a sin to open now. A decant wouldn't hurt. But, will only get better and better over the next couple decades.
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Decanted around 5pm and tasted over 6+ hours. Remarkably youthful with bright medium to dark garnet and no sign of bricking.Great nose of licorice, black raspberry, cassis, graphite and spice. Palate is silky smooth and in perfect balance with bright acidity, just a hint of remaining tannin, layers of dark berry fruit followed by secondary flavors that are both earthy and herbal. Finish is very long. Gorgeous wine and one that should last quite a bit longer. Perfect with wood fire grilled Beef Tenderloin and a Cabernet, Port and mushroom sauce. Really lovely!
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This bottle flashes deep aromas of eucalyptus and forest floor. Midpalate expressions are complex with spiced dark berry, dill, rhubarb and dried cherry. Finish is rich but a bit short
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Wow, what a stunner. Its explosive bouquet wafts from the glass showing layers of sweet ripe red fruit, crème de cassis, mocha and black truffles, with well judged oak staying in the background. It expands on the palate showing superb depth, vibrancy, ripe tannins and an amazing lush and luxurious texture with a finish that just goes on and on. Hedonistic and opulent, this 40th anniversary vintage is absolutely singing at age 20, and it hides its record high 14.2% alcohol with ease. First growth California? ;)
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I wanted to bring a special bottle to a good friend's milestone birthday event. This fortuntely delivered the goods as there was so behind the scenes drama. I opened the bottle at home to decant and was very glad I did as the cork truly disintegrated. After multiple filters was able to get the wine cleanly back in the bottle for transport to the restaurant and it showed beautifully. Bright garnet coloring and focus. Present but mouthwatering acidity, almost some pomegranate notes in the nose. And then layers and silky red fruits and notes of gentle potpourri. A delight. Great now and likely to hold very well for some time further.
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Siggy Turns "Fitty": The Big 5-0 Blowout! (Spoon & Stable, Mpls, MN): I only got a sip or two of this so look to Chablis28 for some details. This was dark and dense with immense power and concentration and layer upon layer of deep dark and purple fruits, but still very lively and brisk, lots of graphite, purple flowers, tar and a Graves feel to it. Loved it. This is a long hauler.
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My first big red of evening and my immediate tablemate Brian's btl at Siggy's fabulous 50th Bday dinner at Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis. I had this 4 yrs ago ( Brian's btl then too) & loved it then. What a head turner! Tonight it was once again nothing but impressive. My first thought was this reminds me more than a little a bit of one of my favorite BDX producers, Ducru Beaucaillou. Maybe a little bit Dunn & Latour like too :). Opaque ruby purple w/ garnet edges. So intense, concentrated and balanced with a complex array of dark fruit, underbrush, cigar, pine and other harmonics. Said to be be a blend of 56% CS, 36% Merlot + 8% Petit Verdot. Massive & yet relatively weightless thanks to its structure & acidity. Uniquely different from many if not most CA Cab blends. Such an amazing wine from high mountain site. Almost primordial and yet delicious. If only, there wasn't more of this style & terroir in CA. 96+ 14.2% alc on the label went completely unnoticed in my glass. Wish like hell I owned a couple of these myself! Thanks Brian!
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Cork was a bit iffy when I pulled it despite good storage but no affect on the wine. Expressive and open with herbs and fir in the nose and medium weight red berry, black pepper and bitter chocolate notes. Drink any time.
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Pop-n-pour towards the end of the evening, after decanted bottles of 2005 Screaming Eagle and 2013 MacDonald. Perfect cork and fill. Dark red color, minimal lightening at the rim. Nose a little reserved at first but comes forth over an hour to show a very nice mix of cassis, dark berries, earth. Medium-full body, palate follows the nose, excellent balance, medium long finish. Stylistically very different from the Screagle and MacDonald, showing more classic, less modern. Would likely have benefited from a 1-2 hour decant as it was still improving at the end of the night. Should continue to drink well for another decade or two. All 6 of us ranked this between the other 2 cabs. Excellent.
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Older Californians Surt & Turf Dinner (McKay's, The American Club, Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong): Decanted for an hour then rebottled for 7 hours before serving with a Tomahawk steak. It needed every hour of the double-decant. Totally opaque red-purple Nose is OMFG…. powerful but so perfumed and elegant. Candied and beautifully multi dimensional spice. Palate is stunningly gorgeous. Silence creating. One of those wines where its quality transcends the need or ability to write many words. 96.....which is a very high score on my personal scale.
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Pretty good for a 20-year-old Monte Bello, sad that I had 2 bottles and took a glass with the corivan from one bottle with the fine needle and it ended up leaking for over 2 weeks and I did not notice it until I wanted to drink the rest and it was corked. Never going to do that again on an expensive bottle again. Glad the second bottle was great.
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My 1000 nd tasting note !!! I looked for something special, and found some ! My best buddy is shortly fallen in love with Monte Bello. So I took my last bottle 2001 and we had a wonderful summer evening with a tremendous sundowner ! Gave him a 3 h decant and drank a smooth crowdpleaser with caracter and tension. Perfect balance between richness and herbal acidity. Fresh and long ! Amazing ! If you have drink it with your best friend ! Cheers !!!
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Coravin sample alongside 5 other Bordeaux type wines. Pulling towards orange color. Initially dusty and with a lot of damp cellar but strangely enough this blows off after 2 hours and the fruit emerges coupled with high acidity. Wouldn't say its flawed byt not a completely good bottle though. Pulled the cork 22-03-13 and it was pretty dry.
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Bottle 3/3. Deep purple with faint bricking. Finally after 2 broken corks a resounding pop and proper aciidity. Decanted for 2 hours. Initially very powerful black fruit bouquet which became less pronounced over time. Some nice black and red fruit, green capsicum, graphite and 15-20 second finish with a wave of fruit and lead pencil. Old style Bordeaux through and through with just a hint of sweetness. Lovely wine. I would have scored this 96-97 at times as the finish was just amazing but even at 20 years the wine seems very youthful and somewhat coiled and think well stored bottles can get there eventually. Some tobacco and mint leaf, reminds me a lot of the 04 Sassicaia. Bravo Ridge for making a very classic wine.
Note: upgraded after more reflection
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Bottle 2/3 (1/3 was corked). Very classic Bordeaux style with tobacco and mint. Some graphite and plum. After twk hours a bit more fruit emerged. Given the richness of fruit other tasters have experienced this is probably a more advanced bottle.
Opened 2 hours- poured 30 minutes before consuming. W steak and mushrooms. Excellent dark almost black color. Old but not musty. Smooth, intense. Pleasant tannin not heavy. Tabacco? We are struggling w taste because it’s so approachable
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Oh hell yes. Celebrated the election and liked it immensely. Still worthy of some years to develop further, but over the course of two hours this .375 opened and made the evening even better.
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Really good. Color looks so young. Nose is terrific. Tons of black berry. But the finesse is what makes it. Long palate, acidity, balance. Good for 20 years.
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Monte Bello is my favorite New World wine. The 2001 vintage is phenomenal and drinking well now, though it will improve further for years. Magnificent.
Still very young and I think too early to really be drinking this even from half. Which is funny because it's from a 375. Part of the Aged Monte Bello tasting. There's an almost juiciness to this. Not ripe, but definitely there and almost overpowering the rest of the wine. Stronger tannin. Maybe a bit a background hint of tar. Not yet integrated. Some floral. Some more mint leaves. Give it time. I think it's going to be a lovely wine.
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Blackberry, plum, mixed florals, graphite, and cedar. Plushly textured, bright acidity, fine tannins. I really dig the combination of youthful fruit with a more balanced, mature structure. The 2001 Monte Bello is excellent.
(56% Cabernet sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 8% Petit verdot. 14.2% ABV per label.)
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'No Masks' Hong Kong Dinner (Table, 8th Floor, The Pemberton, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong): Decanted for 3 hours before serving than drank slowly over the next 2+ hours. Black-purple totally opaque. Nose is perfect graphite purity. Black fruit taken to a modern art painting level...impossible to put into words. Palate is oh wow.... purity and linear attack of ‘black slab’ fruit and stern but somehow tactile tannin. The resonance and reverberance is a deep, low toned hum that is almost ‘ohm’. Wow, this is so young but so beautiful. The purity of the fruit and its slightly confit aspect is stunning. Silence creating....which is my greatest compliment of a wine. Can only improve with age. My first of a case and I think I have timed this right. Almost everyone's WOTN against some similar drop-dead competition that I scored almost as highly. 96+
Sigh. What's not to love about all things Monte Bello? This bottle was underwhelming, surely a one-off. This one had been resting in my cellar for years, so I was surprised that its cork was dried out and needed a fully crumbling removal. Strained and decanted for an hour, an enjoyable drink but this bottle was nowhere near the depth or complexity that make it such a thrilling experience. On to the next...
I think some people found this wine a bit jarring after following a young fruit-forward Schrader, but I'm happy to die on this hill - by any definition of "singing", this wine is there. In the glass, reddish-auburn at the rim, shading gently to near-black at the core. On the nose, and the palate, aged notes of mint and cigar smoke, dark red fruit, a smooth but structured texture, and a long finish with no harsh notes or edges, inviting you to have another sip.
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dark color. forward nose with hints of pencil lead and dark berries. firm tannins, juicy acidity. leather, subtle fruit. long, mouth-watering finish. could use 3-5 more years to mature and last 20-30 more. will get better. potential 96+
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A friend brought this, my favorite wine from the US. It did not disappoint. Nose of ripe fruit with some earthy scents, licorice, blueberry, toast, vanilla and black forest cake. The ripeness here is not over the top as so often with Napa neighbors. This Santa Cruize mountain Cab stays balanced. Very good length too. 96+
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General comments from last night's dinner. Wow. This is a great wine with gorgeous fruit, balanced tannins and an everlasting finish. It remains powerful and competed well in a line up of heavy hitters, many much younger, at the dinner. For me it was a close call for wine of the night. The Monte Bello was nosed out for first place by the 2012 Hidden Ridge Impassable Mountain but essentially they were equivalent. Here was the line-up: 1. 2012 Hidden Ridge Impassable Mountain 99 points 2. 2001 Monte Bello 98 points 3. 2014 Schrader RBS 97 points 4. 2011 Shafer Relentless 97 points 5. 2003 Dominus 96 points 6. 2014 Dancing Hare 95 points 7. 2014 Abreu Madrona Ranch 94 points 8. 2014 Pride 93 points 9. 1995 Yquem 95 points
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Dark garnet color, no signs of age. Nose showing dark fruits, currants/cherry, pencil and sweet tobacco. Smooth and elegant texture. Palate showing dark cherry, spice, leather and black licorice. Tannins still present but softening a bit. Full bodied, long and layered finish.
The 2001 has been a much hyped vintage of MB - 40th anniversary and ripeness of the vintage - so I was eager to try it. Happy to say the wine lives up to the hype (IMO). Beautiful showing on this evening. At the beginning of a long drinking window, will be fun to drink this as it evolves. May be one of the Monte Bellos with a 50 year life? May score higher in another 5 years
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Had this alongside a 2001 Hundred Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan, at a NYC restaurant. Both were decanted and allowed to sit for more than 30 minutes before they were poured. From the get go, the Hundred Acre had a more fruit driven nose and taste. But as a group, we preferred the Monte Bello. It was seamless, elegant, and complex. Notes of licorice and a little menthol, with a very long finish.
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From magnum. Not decanted despite my advice to the friend who generously brought it to dinner. Deep red-purple almost opaque. Nose is lovely elegant lifted black-red fruits but more reticent from magnum than from a standard bottle. Palate is deep, rich, belly-filling black and red fruits. Good linearity but less evolved than the standard bottle I drank last month and which was exceptional, although it unfolded gently with extended time and started to show the classic Lafite-like pencil lead and graphite I associate with this wine. Solid but still sleeping in this format. Needs a very big decant or hiding in the cellar for another 5 years.
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Wednesday Dinner at Friends' House (Their House, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong): 3-hour decant. Brand new looking cork. Deep red-purple opaque colour. BLAM.... the nose is awesome in its freshness, purity and linearity.... Lafite-like graphite elegance and razor precision. We are in 1st Growth territory here. Palate is the same alluring jewelled brightness and precision.... wow, it just stops you dead in your tracks, except this massive understated powerful growling resonance and reverberence even before the swallow. Gosh...the length goes on forever with a huge smile on your face. Endless length. Wow. 95+ even at this early beginnings of its drinking window. Has an easy 10 years to improve from here. Everyone's WOTN.
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Sweet cherry, blackberry, plum, extremely smooth and drinking very well right now. The mouthfeel is superb and has perfect balance. I'd open this now if you have some as I love where it is right now.
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Mostly Napa Cabernet Dinner (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Perfectly mature yet youthful nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit, crushed blackberry and blueberry, blackberry jelly, a hint of plum wild flowers, lead pencil, a hint of cedar and earth. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, nicely layered black fruit, silky and polished, bright acidity, earthy mineral, fine tannins and a long sweet fresh black fruit driven finish with lead pencil at the end. Drinking beautifully in a very youthful way.
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Overall this was nice, but not up to a 95+. Yes it’s balanced, the tannins resolved etc But it’s missing character and the tangentals that make drinking an older better wine great. It’s young in Monte Bello terms but it doesn’t have the structure for a better life imo
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Kreuzritter - Vol. 3: Tasted Blind. The highlight here is the balance with all components in a beautiful harmony. The wine is still somewhat young and I have the feeling that in 5 years time it will show even slightly better – not that the structure could markedly improve from here but the aromatic profile and the complexity can.
TN: Aromatic wise, this is a bit more developed than what I would have expected from this forever young estate. Good tertiary aromatics with leather, tobacco, cola and a sting of sweet/candied red strawberries along with only hints of darker forest fruit. Very round and balanced with a lot of tannins, lots of acidity which promise a long life. Good and very long finish.
Decanting: Decanted for 5+ hours and it seemed to need that.
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Oh my. Pop and pour, open for business from the get go. Still looking relatively young in the glass, no auburn tints, just dark brooding red. On the nose, a reticent mix of cedar, mint, and currants. The palate is where this comes fully alive - beautifully smooth, integrated, with aged notes balanced against the fruit and working together, on a silky, elegant palate. No harsh notes or textural oddities, just a pristine example of an aged wine at peak.
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Wine supplied by a good friend from his cellar. The cork was a bit ropey, but all was good after a decant. Stunning, huge nose of liquorice, menthol, chocolate and jammy fruits. We left it for two hours before diving in. My oh my this was special - little sign of aging visually. It was dark and impenetrable with very little ochre on the rim. The tannins were so so soft and there was still a bit of acidity which suggests this has a long way to go. The menthol, chocolate and jammy fruits carried through with damson, prune and figs to the fore with a lingering moreish finish. Such a clean and precise with full of power and also finesse.
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Perhaps I spoke too soon with the bottle we had a couple of weeks ago. After a two-hour decant, this one was singing - aged aromatics, fruit, and complexity in balance, with a smooth, refined texture. With SRF filets, a perfect match. Loved it.
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In many ways, this felt like the "lite" version of the 1997 Monte Bello. As with the 97, auburn at the rim, shading to black at the core, and on the nose, forest floor and currants. On the palate, a nicely resolved cab blend with a relatively long finish, but lacking the menthol aromatics, the silky texture, and the palate complexity of the 97. There are still some unresolved tannins here, but I'm not sure there are enough to push the wine much further along its evolution curve. We'll see. For all of that grousing, it must be said that this is still a lovely, balanced wine.
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Dark reddish orange and murkey. Aromas of dark cherry, meat and earth. Rich and ripe dark fruit flavors with beautiful texture and silky finish. Lengthy with good acidity.
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Not quite as good as my previous bottle. It was opened, but not decanted at a restaurant and it was able to sit for 30 minutes before pouring. Some very slight prune/oxidized flavors present. Long finish. Still really good, but I was expecting greatness. Maybe it is not a "bring to the restaurant wine" as it may need an extended decant.
Really enjoyed this bottle. If not peaking I’d say it is at one of its peaks. Aromatic nose with underbrush and fresh cut fir. Ample but slightly restrained flavors of blueberry, ash, caressing tannin. Very good.
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Going Big at Dan's (Dan's House): I did not give this wine the attention it deserved. This was elegant and intense at the same time. I wish more producers in California would make this style. I need to seek this wine out.
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Just in great condition. full package of aromatics and generous palate. Vibrant berry nose complimented crushed petal and a touch of evergreen. High toned minerality and then all sorts of good stuff going on with the palate. Nice midweight mouthfeel and engaging purple fruit. This was a treat. In a good spot now and can hold.
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Brian's btl and, I believe this was decanted at Dan's place upon arrival? We drank it about 2 hours in. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot. This was impressive and my #2 wine of the night and only slightly one upped by a '95 Margaux. I'm kicking myself that I've never purchased this wine over the years. Dark opaque almost purple color. Just coming into prime drinking at age 16 and IMO has a chance of further evolution and added nuance. I'd love to own 2 or 3 of these and Brian said he'll open his last one me present. I'll hold him to that :). For me this was the "Latour" of the night with its iron fist in a velvet glove masculinity to the '95 Margaux's silky feminity and grace. Terrific aromatics with a lifted & focused mix of both dark & red fruit, tobacco, cedar,saddle leather, earth and mineral. Having been to the site about six years ago I can see how this wine gets it balance and admirable structure. Big as it, this wine succeeds in never coming off flabby, heavy or jammy like too many CA Cab/Cab blends. Very impressive and spot on tonight!
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P/P and closed to start; evolving in the glass such that i tasted about five different wines over two hours. Lovely mature perfectly ripe fruit, picking up complexity and length over time with mature wild cherry, tobacco, sous bois, and tea.
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It started out pretty decent, and I was encouraged by the soundness of the cork. The flavors were well balanced and the fruit was better that last year, but i think it may have gone bad and I wasn't tasting it until later. My stomach felt unsettled as the night went on and the same result occurred the next day. If it did go bad the flavors somehow held up. Maybe some day I'll own another and give it another try. Still a very nice blend that should age.
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Had this alongside a 2007 Shafer One Point Five and a 2003 Dunn Howell Mountain. The Ridge was the clear favorite and I'm bumping up my score from last year by a point. Its aging beautifully. And its why I don't like to touch Monte Bello until at least 10 years past its vintage date.
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Tasted at 12 vintage vertical by Michel Jamais. Nose balanced black currant/cassis, lavender, black cherries. Beginning maturity. Dry elegant body palate of cassis, plum, cedar, mushrooms, structure with high fine-grained tannins. Long finish. 14,2%
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Rated 96 as I believe more cellar time can raise the score. An infant at 16 years, there is absolutely no sign of age. Deep opaque purple, no bricking. Aromas of black fruits, unsmoked tobacco, saddle leather, licorice and cocoa soar from the glass. Racy acidity, dense fruit and bracing acidity on the well balanced chassis of a wine for the ages. Among the very best Montebellos, in my opinion. Has more than enough stuffing to be around well past 2025. A great example of what California Cabernet can achieve in the hands of skillful winemakers who follow the proper course, and for those who are willing to postpone their gratification for a few decades. I felt very fortunate to drink this with my good friend Dr. Montgomery, and just smile from ear to ear with enjoyment. Paul Draper, you are amazing.
Six courses on short notice with some great football: For me this bottle was the best wine of the night. Decanted 3-4 hours before the course was served. Deep dark, opaque garnet colored with an effusive nose of mushroom, earth, chocolate, blackberry bramble, tobacco, cedar and ripe black plum. The mouth feel was luscious and rich with some tannic structure that enhanced the flavors and made the food pairing lively and interesting. Great balance and complexity with layers of flavors reflecting those in the nose and a very long finish. Great with the venison and so easy to drink.
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Thursday Day Off (Rainbow Restaurant, Sok Kwu Wan, First St,, Lamma Island, Hong Kong): (From magnum...opened for several hours but served undecanted in 125cl local restaurant glasses). Still almost totally opaque but the black-red has faded slightly to crimson. Nose of warm, welcoming blue and red fruit. Palate is wow, so rich, rounded and elegant. A big wine that is still too primary but you have all this great classic Monte Bello stuff going on here.... cedar roofs in sunlight, fantastic depth of blue fruit, subtle but persistent mild Asian spice, wonderful rounded mouthfeel but still with youthful tension of tannin. Long and slow-releasing length and resonant reverberance. Wow, very long. Friggin' fabulous. 94+
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Stunningly beautiful and seamlessly integrated. Classic ripe blackberry fruits, cocoa, dark chocolate, spicy oak... what can I say that hasn't been said? This still has a decade or even two of maturity.
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At 50th. (From memory). Deep dark wine. Fantastic integrated wine, both Bordeaux and New world, brooding but accessible, long. Drinking well now but will last another 5 to 10 years.
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Drank side-by-side with a 2000 Lynch Bages over a red-meat dinner. An interesting comparison. Decanted and drank. Both similarly deep red, clear, very little sediment, no bricking at all. The two wines started out as you'd expect--the Lynch-Bages' minerality dominated, the Monte Bello was much more fruit forward, but as the evening went on, the Monte Bello fruit mellowed a bit as did the LB slatey-ness. The MB was wonderfully balanced, some tar and chocolate and cedar(?) notes, and quite a long, chewy finish. Has a long road ahead of it. At the end, the similarities between the two were more surprising than the differences. Still, our California palates preferred the MB.
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I just loved this wine, so balanced and pure with finesse and complexity. Decanted at 6pm and drunk from about 8-10pm. Lovely medium to dark garnet with no sign of bricking or age. Nose is effusive with some vanilla, blackberry bramble, black tea, black plum and cedar. Great texture on the palate, rich and chewy. The tea, blackberry and cedar are most obvious on the palate. The finish is quite long lasting a good 45+ seconds. Great with a grilled Prime Strip Steak. By no means a fruit bomb or modern this is classic Cali Cab the likes of which I thank Paul Draper for and hope will continue now that he is retiring from day to day operations!
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We had this on Saturday night with NY Strip and it showed well. 2nd bottle of the evening. Decanted at cellar temperature for 8 hours prior to pouring. It was somewhat lean but classy. Some chocolate, mint and cherry flavors. Right now the P to Q ratio isn't quite there for me though I am a big fan of Monte Bellos in general. I've had 5 of this vintage since 2010 and this one wasn't quite as good as the others - perhaps in an awkward phase? Plan on trying the remaining after 2020.
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My second bottle in less than a year, I think I will hold off on the next bottle for at least another year. Its drinking very well, but it still tastes youthful, I have a feeling it may be even better in a year.
I think the blend for this vintage has less Cabernet Sauvignon than most vintages of Monte Bello. This vintage is 56% CS, which is far and away the lowest % of the 7 vintages (1999, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2011, 2012, & 2013) that I have in my collection.
We drank this alongside a 1996 Solaria. The two wines played nicely together.
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A well balanced wine but seems fading a bit. I know this has a long life in it so perhaps it was a dumb phase I had it in. Fruit has fallen off but replaced by secondary and tertiary flavors which are well evolved.
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4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Mark & Rochelle's): Inky crimson color, almost opaque at the core. Aromas of violets, plum, cedar and black fruit- cassis and currants. I immediately thought this was our Monte Bello. Firm on the entry and across the midpalate, but showing an abundance of fruit too- black cherry, blackberry and red berry- along with lavender and violet nuances that culminate in a long, balanced finish.
I was certain this was our wine, but so was another taster certain it was his wine. I was about to let go of a victorious "ha" when the wine was unveiled as the back label appeared and the bottle began to spin to the front...and there the vintage appeared...not ours- there would be two Monte Bellos today! This had been decanted at noon and rebottled only before travel, so about four hours total. This still needs another 5 years at a minimum- 10 would be better, and don't even think about touching a magnum until 2026.
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Dark core, maroon rim; fresh dark fruit, cedar, sandalwood, grainy, creamy oak, some age, high toned, big, tar, still seems quite youthful; high toned on the palate, grainy tannin, grippy, red and dark currant, good taut finish; still so young but like potential, 92+.
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A great bottle riding a wave, dare I say a peak. Nose of earth, peat, deep blue fruit. Flavors are ripe but lean, red currant, ash and earth, a bit a cracked pepper and a moderate to long finish. Galloni nailed this in July. Drink any time.
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Bruiser of a nose. Warm cherry compote, charred meats and a little cigar ash. The palate os awesome with some cassis, meats and a little slate. Almost there but theres some lagging tannins. Really good.
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Rich and luxurious this was drank alongside the 2001 Château Montelena and dominated in every way absolutely beautiful from 375 mL can't wait to drink this again in 10 years from 750. An absolutely beautiful wine.
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Consistent with my note from a year ago. This wine has barely budged but is in the beginning of what will be a long and glorious drinking window. Rich on the palate yet not heavy with dark fruit and cherry tobacco flavors. Incredible freshness and purity that is the hallmark of a legendary Cali Cab. Great stuff.
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Had this at dinner at Keens Steakhouse in NYC. It was one of 4 wines, 2 CA Cabs, 1 CA Merlot blend and 1 AU Shiraz. This was my first of the 6 bottles that I have that I tried. Opened and not poured for about 2 hours. Like most Monte Bellos I have had, it needs to be opened (and hopefully) decanted for a while before drinking. Really nice wine, almost outstanding. But for me, not as good as the slightly lower rated 2000 Monte Bello. This still has years of life ahead of it. Long finish, good balance between fruit, tannin and acidity.
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Went to Church & State and decided to go with this one as its been ages since I've opened a Monte Bello. Just a wonderful nose and a beautiful palate of fruit and a bit of earth on the finish. One of the more balanced and satisfying Cabs I've had in a while. Have one more and will try to hold it for another 5-10 years, but this was in a good place at 14 years old.
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This was really good. Explosive nose of smoke and currant that really lifts. Blackberry, currant, some fresh berry like unfermented juice, just a hint of oak and mint. Tannins are a bit heavy, maybe slightly distracting, but that's a nit. Really quite nice.
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My first Monte Bello, and it did not disappoint at all. Decanted 3 hours, then drank over 3 hours. Tannin definitely present at opening, and decanting definitely softened and opened it up.
Excellent wine with a long life ahead of it. Looking forward to more of this and other vintages in the future!
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This is quite an unusual wine for Monte Bello. It is 14.2% alcohol but tastes higher. It is hot with alcohol in both the aroma and the taste. The color is still a bright, young purple. The taste is that of a blousy California cult wine with alcoholic heat, over-ripe stewed fruit compotes, licorice, and a long finish. Not something a Monte Bello fan would like, but will be appreciated by those who follow Parker.
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Mature? Heck no. Delicious? Hell yes! Silky and soft on the front, with lots of stuffing that masks the structure on the back end. This is very pleasurable to drink now from 375 ml bottle. Long way to go, but luscious now.
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From half bottle. Slow oxed for 12 hours. Wow, this is a 50 year wine. Still showing primary dark fruit notes along with some secondary notes of tobacco and cedar. This wine is a ringer for a good left bank Bordeaux. Great texture, lift, and depth.
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This is what high end cab drinking should be. At the core, really good flavors, but supported by balance of tannin, acid and alcohol that make you want to just swirl this in your mouth for a long time. Finishes long. Very good drinking now, may get even better, but why wait? At half the price (or less) of cult cabs, this is a steal.
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Judgement of Chicago (Nomi): Tasted blind. Nose was beautiful with dark fruit and black licorice. Taste was elegant, beautiful, powerful, vibrant and explosive with a long finish.
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From 750ml purchased at auction. Stood bottle for days. Night One: Decanted. Took over an hour to start to take shape, it was almost "hollow" (relative term) from the start. I've experienced this with many great wines - it seems like a big empty space, and with time and air those spaces fill in beautifully and very fully. Every subsequent minute after Hour Two, the wine continually improved. Deeper, richer, longer finish. Similarly, Night Two is every bit as good, even if just a hair more astringent. As a huge MB fan, I still believe this needs more time to fully integrate. Wait another 2-3 yrs to open this and then enjoy it over the next 10-15y
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A truly great wine, so glad I bought a bunch of this. The aroma is to die for... classic California Cab with cassis and a tiny bit of mint. Deep and rich, black cherries and anise, with a little minerality underneath. Paired perfectly with grilled steaks. The only negative I could cite would be a slight bitterness at the finish. I noticed this when I first opened it and poured a preliminary taste, though I didn't notice it later while enjoying it with the food. I would say it is probably at or near its peak, in the 375ml, and I'll wait a few more years for the 750's.
This was from a magnum. Pulled the cork, poured into a decanter, and then back into the bottle. Poured off the sediment that ended up in the decanter. Left the cork out and then tasted about 2 hours later. tasted with food and then on its own. Good dark color showing no real bricking at all. The nose is rich and seductive. the wine shows dark fruits (cherries), some slight chocolate notes, cedar and basil. It continues to evolve and open up as the wine sits in the glass. Layers of fruit in an understated and elegant style. It does not overpower you but just shows class and elegance sip after sip. Wonderful wine, still youthful some 12 years after the vintage date.
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Open and decanted approx one hour before serving. Ripe black fruit aromas with dark chocolate, anise and kirsch. Lush and ripe flavors as well but with such elegant structural elements that this came together nicely, and kept picking up weight and intensity with more time in glass through dinner.
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Really great wine--although it might be the wine talking! Smooth, elegant, good fruit, but deep and not heavy. Can't remember if 2001 was a hot year--seems on the riper side for Monte Bello. But great with the steak tonight, and great after.
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No doubt that this was the US wine in the blind flight. Jammy, hot & alcohol filled turpentine vanilla nose. Fully packed, all in full throttle fruit & oak bomb, heavy, thick and fat, with bitter oak on the finish. It’s almost like a blend of overcooked Zinfandel and Merlot. Good underlying tannins thought, but this will never be a fine and subtle wine. It will most definitely age and become somewhat more integrated, and maybe in 10 – 15 years if revisited have turned in to something more balanced, but I doubt that I will ever truly enjoy this. Too much of everything for me, and not my style at all.
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This was ridiculous. Layers of complexity, with abundant fruit & loamy earth, with notes of tobacco and hints of perfume. Luxurious mouthfeel, soft, supple, and superbly balanced. Outstanding.
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VTS fill, 750ml. Double decanted and enjoyed this over two different days (most on Wed, the rest on Sat!) and it showed beautifully in both sessions. Deep garnet/nearly purple color. Sweet fruit and nuanced perfume nose. Palate was smooth, rich, balanced and sweet (agree completely w/others' assessment of the 01's "extra Merlot."). No rush at all to drink the next one. One of the greatest, most consistent wines in the world (a huge compliment coming from someone who will always take Bdx over Napa!).
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Russk. P,P,Ph and Simone at Peter's. This was the WOTN. 1st nose of laudry detergent (in a good way), then accasia flowers, then mature AmOak. Nice food wine.
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Decanted at the table and it let out a huge aroma -- enough for everyone to notice. In the glass it smelled like a decade-old blend normally does to me, with sweet fruit and ink layered on barnyard funkiness. Each sip had a smooth start with slightly restrained fruit; it could have used even more air. The higher than usual Merlot gives some unusual layers of spices and sweetness. I counted about a 45-second finish. The tannins still assert themselves a little, so it can go even longer. Overall, a luxurious and memorable addition to a good meal.
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Very nice right now, opens up immediately to a spicy, currant nose with moderate tannin, juicy acidity. Flavors tend towards the old World, with black currant, cedar box and sour cherry notes. Not big or overextracted, goes for restraint and a certain coolness of tone. Perhaps it faded just a bit after sitting in the bottle for 5 hours, but that would be splitting hairs.
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Ridge Monte Bello Vertical Tasting 1974 - 2008 (Switzerland): Intensive deep red. Creme de Cassis in the nose, alcohol is present reminding me a bit of an Amarone nose. Very tannic and complex, lots of dark berries, chocolate. Acidity is present but well integrated. One feels the high percentage (36%) of Merlot in this Monte Bello. This wine needs time to involve in a legendary Monte Bello. Currently at 94 with the potential of 96-98. Drink 2016 - 2035
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This wine hung in there against heavy hitters from Pride, SQN, and Cayuse. Drinking perfectly... Opened eight hours early but would have benefitted from some decanting. Still by the end of the night it was fantastic.
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The first bottle from the case is always fun to taste, as you do not know what to expect. I was not let down. From a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot, the wine pops with cassis, blackberry, earth, spice, tobacco and forest floor notes. Big, rich, concentrated and packed with layers of ripe, juicy, dark berries, soft tannins and freshness, everything is in place for a long life. This is still young. For a wine that's over a decade old, the color still looks like a young wine! You can either enjoy in its earth, or lay it down for another decade or more. When mature, this will probably deserve another Pt or two! It's really great example of California Caberent Sauvignon.
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Another great dinner with some good wine (EL Ideas - Chicago IL): Black cherry aromas with liqueur hints and licorice. Flavors of black cherry and plum with plenty of assertive structure today, showing prominent tannins and acidity. No question this powerful wine has lots of potential, but i wouldn't revisit this for at least another 5 years, probably another 10 years.
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Outstanding bottle at what seems like the beginning of its stride. Mature enough, but some slightly firm tannins giving it a backbone. Ready to drink, but certainly no rush.
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Inky dark in color. Nose shows tar, currant, and coffee. On the palate, this is still a young and full-bodied wine. Lots of dark fruit at the fore with a mineral undertone and still prominent tannins. I would give it at least another 5 years to try again.
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Color: dark ruby. Nose: Mature cabernet notes of bell pepper, minerals, licorice and espresso. Mouth: Pleasent but mouth coating tannins. Complex dark red fruits, graphite and licorice. Long finish. Kept me enthralled for hours. Drank side by side with the 2005 which was also wonderful but much younger.
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Smoky, loamy nose with hints of raspberry. Flavors include currant, green tea, oak vanilla with ample, fine but drying tannins. Not a great show today.
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Tasted blind: Deep in color. Nose of dark berries, plums and leather. The wine is still quite dry and sticks to ones teeth. At the same time very smooth tannins. Already a superb wine but still too young for a Monte Bello. Put this "legend in the making" away until 2018.
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(No Formal Tasting Notes) New Year's Eve wine number 7 - This was outstanding, still very youthful and a classic example of great Cali Cabernet, at this stage of the evening this was one that I selfishly wished I had kept back (95 Points).
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TN: Heidsieck, Fontalloro, Clos des Papes, Monte Bello, Hall (Pronza's): From magnum. Still way too young, check back in at least a decade. That said, purple in color. Lovely nose of cassis, dark cherries, dusty with some smoke and bits of vanilla. Great mouth feel. With time, it started to unwind and demonstrate a real complexity. Long finish. Just a gorgeous wine, but really needs a long time despite being 10 years old already. We got into a discussion on how long these wines could last. I have to believe in a great vintage, these will give any red from Bordeaux a run for the money in that department.
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Herrlicher Stoff von Anfang an. Dunkles Rot mit violetten Anklängen. Herrliche Johannisbeeren,Brombeeren,Eiche Vanille leichte Minze,seidig samtenes Mundgefühl,Textur zum reinknien. Gerbstoffe schon gut integriert und sehr langer Abgang. Einfach herrlich dieser Wein. 95+ Dazukommende Erdaromen. Really a great young wine.
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Wow, fantastic! Decanted 4 hours. Beautiful deep ruby color, bordeaux-like nose, balanced fruit, and long finish. Mature now, but should last for quite some time in the cellar.
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Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Day Library Tasting: Medium garnet color with wonderfully aromatic aromas of kirsch and black fruit. On the palate, it was smooth,concentrated with a seductive complexity with black cherry, cassis, and mineral flavors, and a hauntingly long finish. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon; 36% Merlot; 8% Petit Verdot 14.2% ABV
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Wonderful, soaring nose of black currants, licorice, cedar and eucalyptus. Black currant, well-integrated oak, leaf and leather flavors hit the front of the mouth in a refreshing manner. Feels a bit thin in the mid-palate which may be due to the ample, fine tannin and a bit of acid snap but hardly much to complain about. Wonderful Monte Bello, Cali cab that may be entering a nice drinking window.
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wine was decanted and drunk over the next 3 hours or so... very dark color, extremely expressive nose full of dark and red fruits, hints of mint, notable new American oak notes of dill and vanilla, has that flinstones vitamin minerality thing going on for me... on the palate moderate to high acidity, a firm but generous midpalate, very firm, moderately ripe tannins that are still quite gritty, moderate ETOH. The wine has great balance (there is a lot of new oak but it is well balanced by intensity of fruit), fantastic length, fantastic intensity, great complexity and detail at this young age. Wine has some finesse, a very firm but fine texture, and really expresses its place quite well. I must say I was most impressed by this wine... intense yet not over the top, not afraid of some green elements, not afraid to use American oak which plays a significant role in the aromatic profile of this wine... maybe not everyone's style but for what it is most impressive. the wine has plenty of years ahead though today was just singing... wow.
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Drank this from 375ml. We poured it into two glasses and let it breathe for 45 minutes, then drank it over the course of another hour. Still, I feel like it didn't get as much air as it needed. Very dark in the glass, with black fruits, tar, and a good dose of tannins in the finish. Tight. I wish I had another one...I'd leave it for 10 more years and try again.
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Nose - deep savory black currant, hints of ginger, molasses and redwood. Deep dark black and purple fruit, dusty tannin, black currant, char, olallieberry, rustic, smoky, lime zest, firm, minerally.
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This was certainly a wonderful bottle of wine. Different experience than my last tasting a year ago from a 375. Opened an hour ahead of time, and the wine was drinking at a perfect stage. Lush, balanced, wonderful dusty rich red fruit. Drinking great right now and I believe it will continue to improve somewhat.
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Decanted 1 hour. Dark purple, almost black, nearly to the rim. Sweet black fruit in many layers, full bodied with prominent tannins. Finish goes on for 45+ seconds. An impressive wine now but I think I will wait a couple of years before trying the second bottle from the case. IMHO this wine will get better and better for several years.
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Decanted and drunk over many many hours. To celebrate getting home with twin baby girls. Ridge was surely up to the occasion. Beautiful nose of ripe fruit, minerals and herbs. Classic Ridge. Could mistake it for great Bordeaux from a warm vintage. I can't even describe it. The whole thing was too perfect. Lush, full, lively, rich. Alive. Really some sick shit.
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Dinner at home with my friend Vassilis and my wife Marilena. Decanted for about 2 hours prior drinking. Inky/purple color. After a good aeration into the glasses (so needs more aeration in the decanter), the fruit emerges. A hint of dust also on the nose. Full bodied, with round tannins. On the palate the Cabernet Sauvignon dominates. Flavors of sweet red ripe fruits, oaky vanilla and chocolate. Very long finish. To pair with a well made steak.
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Great intense vinous Cabernet nose, dense, chunky cherry, chocolate, blackberry palate with a finish that went on forever. Most Cali Cab *wishes* it drank like this wine.
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Fabulous. Not giving much on the nose. Such poise with distinct masculinity. All components well integrated with dark fruit coming through nicely. Great balance and structured to age. Enjoy now but will no doubt will even better in 2-5 years.
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Deep garnet. At first quite closed with hints of black fruits, glycerin and oak. Nicely balanced and structured on the palate with a peppery edge. Finishes slightly austere but long. 2nd day (kept in Eurocave Sowine) exhibits more red fruit characteristics and quite a bot more expressive on the palate. Pleasant sweetness poking through the spicy edge. Coats the entire palate with smoothness and balance. Long finish. One to keep long term.
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Ridge Monte Bello Vertical 1972-2003 (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Powerful blackberry, black cherry, red cherry on nose with some mint and cassis, then spice in background. Lush and dense fruit on palate with powerful, elegant tannins and vibrant acidity. Just one step behind the 1994 in this flight, but perhaps with greater long-term potential, this is another vintage of Monte Bello hat has something for everybody. I would expect this to reach its full potential somewhere between 2020 and 2035.
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Ridge Monte Bello Vertical 72-03 (Ken's house, northbrook IL): nose: extremely lovely and perfumed nose that has a real hi-toned quality to it that makes it ever so attractive with plush and round tones of dark red cherries, sour cranberries, dark berries, bits of black currant jam, and a touch of mint. There is a real rich and plush sense to this that comes with the higher merlot content, and the depth of this is sumptuous. Very young on the nose though too as its a bit tight at the same time
taste: showing off its youth on the palate with great rich full bodied tones of black currant jam, mint, dark red cherries, and a bushel full of fresh picked berries. THe tones come off as plush and round with medium acidity to it
overall: my no2, the group's no2. Overall for the group, this was a hair behind the 94 in this flight. For me this didn't have the full layering of the 94.........yet. It seems like a caterpillar that is just waiting in its cocoon and has a ton of class to it and is just so silky and classy that its hard not to like it. This has the ability to turn into a real beauty. Its hard to say what its aging curve will be as this possessed the highest merlot content of any of the wines, but it is an extremely attractive wine that will certainly be worth waiting a bit longer for
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From a 375ml. Very nice, soft style, and ready to drink. The first 20 minutes showed a damp nose (not corked), but that disappeared shortly. Best after 30 minuites and drank well for hours. Fragremt. rich, ripe black fruit and a medium long finish.
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Mr Stox with T-Bone's Crew (Mr Stox, Anaheim, CA): Decanted and took about an hour to come out of a somewhat heavy sullen state. But open it did showing tons of richness without fat ripe fruits. Sweet woody cedar and wet brick aromas. Tons of fruit here that is very rich today still showing some flesh but very well balanced. This is a ways from maturity but is full of potential. Great.
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Soft, Bordeaux complexity, good acidity. Ready to drink. Excellent food wine but by itself a little disappointing given reputation. Fruit there but gives way to other flavors - cedar, tobacco, pencil lead. Large percentage of Merlot makes this vintage soft.
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Evaluated under less than ideal circumstances. Recent bottle travel, aerated in bottle for 2 hours.
Color: Dark purple with slightly lighter edge. No bricking at all. Nose: Big nose of black fruits (very ripe black cherry, cassis, plum, blackberry. Sweet oak still prominent producing the typical perfumy notes of MB. Still very primary and fruit driven. I dont recall getting floral notes or any secondary or earthy notes yet. Palate: Lush fruit, full bodied wine but so smooth that the size of the wine is hidden and it seems more elegant. Almost a creamy texture and there are some milk chocolate or mocha notes which I think come from the oak. Black fruits follow through on the palate and are very ripe. No overripe prune or raisins however. Medium length finish whcih does become tannic and a bit of alcohol peeps out but not too distracting. Still a primary fruit driven wine. If you like your wines with mature bordeaux notes then you will have to wait a long time for this one to come around.
An unusual year for MB: Tons of ripe fruit flavors, the most merlot in the blend probably ever, the highest alcohol ever at 14.2 percent. I am glad I have more of this.
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Very dark core, on the nose I get some new oak with dark fruits this wine is ripe that’s has chucks of blackcurrant and tobacco in the mouth the wine is rich and powerful like an fine Bordeaux it has great balance the wine is very expressive already this wine is all about power but not OTT very good.
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Tasted with Ridge Monte Bello '80, '90, '91, '92, '94, '96 (corked), '99, '00, '01 (in magnum). Quite a lovely night one might say.
My favorites of the night were the '90 and '99. But just barely. Meaning that every vintage seem to show the magnificence of this site, all were worthy of appreciation. All the wines showed dark black fruits, a certain tobacco anise-ness and precise purity of acids and tannins. The younger the wines were the more black fruit, the less tobbacco. All bottles were still viable and drinkable.
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Purple in color, with nice oak spice, cedar and a burst of black currant on the expressive nose. Tobacco, black currant and spices abound - with great length. In 5 years when the tannin starts to integrate, this is a 95++ wine.
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Surprisingly soft & generous for this wine. Maybe, it's the high percentage of Merlot (35%) that is making the wine so approachable now. Lovely nose of currant & oak spice. Lush black currant fruit wrapped in some dusty tannins that kick in gently on the finish. A beautiful Monte Bello & the "wine of the night" for many of us.
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Bordeaux like in smell and taste. well balanced wine, hitting its stride right now. Minerally, earthy smell with flavors of black fruit and a hint of cedar. very enjoyable.
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Grand Jury Chicagoan - 2001 Cab Merlot (Restaurant Michael): Powerful, effusive nose has black currants and chocolate. Rich, sweet fruit on the palate has medium body. Herbs add complexity. It loses some intensity across the mid-palate, potentially the result of you tannins. Group’s #2 WOTF. I was under-helmed but it could have been in the context of the next 3 wines. 90 – 92 points.
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Color is dark garnet/purple to the rim. Nose shows sweet, chunky dark fruit, spice, tar, and smoke. On the palate, big black fruit, tar, earth, and a touch of mocha make up a blockbuster flavor profile that has yet to fully unwind. Suprisingly approachable at this point, but tannins are still playing a major role. Will only get better.
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Heritage: Sweet leather nose, sweet truffles; w/mocha; caramel; some branches-stems in there. Super rich and smooth and slippery mouthfeel. Really great without being over the top (even though it verges on that!).
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Heritage: Super rich and concentrated aromas of dark discreet berry/vanilla; bursting with ripe fruit/somewhat hot and lifting a’s in mth; smooth as velvet, concentrated berry/ripe cassis flavors; med. t’s, nice soft leather fin.
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1/26/2024 - warrenpeace wrote: 95 Points
A powerful wine if not the most finessed. Very enjoyable and likely to continue to improve for at least 5 years and then stay at peak for for 10-15 years thereafter
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1/1/2024 - Francophile1 Likes this wine:
2024 New Year's Day Double Blind Tasting: Double-blind. This is a superb wine and one that threw everybody off. Exotic nose that exploded in the glass. Deep, rich, perfumed fruit with a sweet finish with a touch of spice. Is it old world? New world? Nobody could nail it. I called it '04 Solaia and was obviously wrong. This is the best Monte Bello I've ever tasted. Wow!
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9/30/2023 - familydoc Likes this wine: 97 Points
Holy cow am I glad I sat on this wine, that said, it really needed a full 2 hour decant (from a magnum stored in a wine fridge).
Nose: initially was a bosenberry/black berry bomb, the nose is really incredible right away where you think "could this be the best wine I've ever tasted?"
with air you get a super balanced nose with more mushroom and a bit of minty tobacco
Taste: this wine is just so complex and structured, layered with berrys, mushroom, tobacco and the tannins really are still surprisingly present but carrying those great flavors into a big finish of mint, tobacco, and dark cherry.
The fact that this wine improved with 2 hours of air (from a magnum) at 22 years old is a telling testament to the structure and quality of this wine.
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8/5/2023 - Michael Moore Likes this wine: 99 Points
Perfect. Drank side by side with a 2007 Scarecrow at Mission Ranch in Carmel. Toss up for WOTN.
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5/22/2023 - walkerjfw wrote: 97 Points
Dinner at Union Square Cafe, brought this from my cellar, drank after a 2014 Antica Terra Pinot. It was open over an hour before drinking, consumed over an hour. Prior bottle 3 years ago. I had planned to wait longer on next bottles, but it was fun to show this wine to my guest.
Prior notes: "Nose showing dark fruits, currants/cherry, pencil and sweet tobacco. Smooth and elegant texture. Palate showing dark cherry, spice, leather and black licorice. Tannins still present but softening a bit. Full bodied, long and layered finish."
This bottle did not disappoint. Nose was extraordinary, jumping out of the glass. Cherry/dark fruits, graphite still showing. Full body, long finish. Ripeness and energy in this wine is notable. My guest made the comment that if drinking blind he would have guessed 5-7 years old.
I was not in a spot to open this before arriving at the restaurant. It will benefit from a full 2 hour decant, it was good out the bottle, better at one hour and really shining by 2 hrs..at 22 years old it still needs to wake up a bit
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5/1/2023 - jshufelt wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with previous tasting notes - really nice wine, aged aromatics beginning to make their appearance, just a little too assertive with tannins on the finish. But don't let that stop you from opening a bottle now to check in.
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3/7/2023 - pitcrewstrategist Likes this wine: 98 Points
Darn near perfect! wow, i've been a ridge montebello collector and had this wine from inception, been sleeping in my cellar and it was time to open it for my 34th wedding anniversary, steak house dinner in roswell (ga). I am not sure how much life is left in this merlot forward version, maybe a couple, but i think i nailed it tonight by opening it and decanting, letting it sit for an hour while we had seafood and champagne. Then the aroma is ripe red fruits and purée. An overtone of earthy - maybe mushroom - brought back memory of one of my favorite bottles ever a 1989 haut brion. The smell is heavenly to me. The flavor is deep and many layers and went through evolution/phases during the evening slow go eat/savor. Of course, matched well to blue cheese over wedge and then spinalis... I tasted Red berries of all kinds, definite cedar (was it the smell or taste or both, hmmm), graphite, some leather and did i say deep berries (not berry forward). This is a champ and made the evening. If you have it - drink it enjoy it, this is a wild / different montebello.
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2/16/2023 - GlobalNomadGuy Likes this wine: 100 Points
Spectacular! I tried a 2001 Ridge Monte Bello with my management team from work in a Mag format at an offsite planning session. It was the WOTN against some very stiff and amazing competition. I sourced two more 750s to share with my wife and this bottle is just as amazing. At 22 years old, this was a stunner. On the nose is ripe red raspberry and a melange of macerated berry purée. An overtone of slightly sweet tobacco that reminds me of the box my grandfather used to store his pipe tobacco in was on the nose as well. Some porcini mushroom and a bit of forest floor rounded out the nose. The nose alone is so complex and beautiful. It’s like a Haut Brion without and of the Barnyard Funk. Now, moving onto the palate. The flavor is appropriately subtle and layered for the age with red berries, pipe tobacco, leather and cedar. You want to hold this wine in your mouth because the subtlety of the flavors is truly special. I wish every bottle could be as nuanced as this. One more in the cellar. Will be waiting, but not long, for a very special occasion! We his is drinking like an absolute champion at the moment.
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1/31/2023 - Juliansi Likes this wine: 90 Points
It is often hard to match the lofty expectations of meeting one's wine heroes, and unfortunately I felt slightly deflated when I popped this for my friends.
Perfumed nose, but more restrained compared to the open and opulent MB 2012 SKT shared with us a year ago. That was then one of the finest wines I ever tried, and left me with a lasting impression of wanting to get my own MB at some point.
Hints of flint and limestone, developing concentration with a medium body initially, very long finish. Blackberries and black plums, with cassis and dark chocolate on the mid palate too.
Even after a decant of 1-2 hours, this did not fully open through the 4 hour dinner session.
Nevertheless.. I did not feel deflated! Wines go through phases, and I was proud of the thought process and buying this all the way from Zurich, and glad that I had saved this bottle for a special occasion, and for special people.. so no better time and place then to open this for this specific group!
In this blind taste, my wine gurus described this as super perfumed, possibly Italian or Bordeaux, and the youngest in the flight so far (It wasn't, being 22 years old!).
Pencil lead notes, and possibly Merlot dominant with little bell peppers. 2 guessed Right Bank Bordeaux, 1 Left Bank, and 1 New World. What a chameleon this Monte Bello proved to be!
More violets and blueberries, and a more cohesive mouthfeel is likely to be there after this "sleepy phase" period, I certainly expected more and hope to get the chance to try this again later this decade.
Back in 2011, Robert Parker rated this vintage 99 points. The anticipated maturity back then was circa 2020 to 2040, I wonder if I may have popped this one a wee bit early, or perhaps its in a "sleeping phase"?
Robert Parker described this 2001 as spectacular, but still young with lots of promise. Whilst full-bodied and silky textured, the secondary nuances have not yet begun to develop. In fact, he said it tastes more like a 3-4 year old Monte Bello than one that is ten years of age.
Interestingly, RP described that this cuvee may prove somewhat atypical due to the huge percentage of Merlot in the final blend and the higher than normal alcohol. He concluded that "make no mistake about this Monte Bello - it is a great wine".
Ridge Monte Bello is located high on a mountain top overlooking Silicon Valley, at an elevation of nearly 1,000 m above sea level. These very steep hills make up one of California’s most unique wine appellations, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA.
The history and its legacy have been established by 2 wine visionaries: Osea Perrone, an Italian immigrant who first planted the vineyard in 1886, and Paul Draper, who joined Ridge in 1969 as winemaker.
Draper’s natural winemaking philosophy led to his Ridge Monte Bello 1971 Cabernet Sauvignon achieving 5th place in the 1976 Judgement of Paris wine tasting. Ridge's wine came just after Stag’s Leap, Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Montrose and Haut-Brion!
Ridge Monte Bello 2001 is from the vineyard's 40th anniversary vintage. This is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 8 % Petit Verdot and was bottled in 2003.
I love the details and text on the rear label, where Paul Draper writes that "5-8 years of bottle age will bring generous rewards, and 20 years will bring full maturity."
Bottle 5 of 6, CNY Chor 10 and "Farewell TC" held in my home over Satay Station and Butchers Table takeaway delights, with SKT and MK, DQ and BL, LMC, TC and ourselves.
31 Jan 2023
My home, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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1/16/2023 - davidspieker wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful. Youthful looking in the glass with well integrated flavors and lengthy finish.
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12/31/2022 - billyloveswine Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP’ed and consumed over 3 hours. Deep ruby in the glass with little browning despite 21 years of age. Ready from the get-go, the wine showed pronounced aromas of dried blackberry, black plum, cassis, dark chocolate, dill, cedar, and earth. On the palate, medium+ acidity, ripe, abundant tannins that’s mostly resolved, and a long, complex finish that barely shows the heat from the 14.2% ABV. So well-made that I am now also one of the many Monte Bello fans out there.
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12/30/2022 - Cayuga Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely stunning. A short decant and drinking beautifully now. Voluptuous and so well integrated. Could easily travel another few years but no reason to delay enjoying this. Very different from the 2008 I had recently which was lighter on the palate and needed more airing. Head to head I would prefer the ‘01.
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11/17/2022 - PITT Wine Guy Likes this wine: 96 Points
2001 Ridge Monte Bello
Cellared since purchase
2 hour decant
Deep crimson in glass with very slight lightning at the rim.
Complex nose of black fruit, leather, and forest floor. It was full bodied with a mouth filling blend of rich fruit (56% Cabernet, 36% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot). The wine was very complex and long, with integrated tannins all of which produced a great mouth feel and a 30+ finish.
It was tasted in a lineup with the 1999 Château Palmer, the 2000 Château Margaux and the 1999 Modavi Reserve, and was the wine of the night.
An outstanding Montebello drinking at its acme right now
96 points. Bravo
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11/4/2022 - NickNYC wrote: 94 Points
Magnum, opened 6 hours before tasting. Big bright nose of ripe cabernet, elegant and complex. the palate is structured but tanins are polished. it is round, juicy, elegant, fresh and long at the same time.
still very young and will go for at least 10 years with some upside.
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10/3/2022 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 96 Points
Super stiff competition on the night, including a 1989 LMHB and 1994 Mount Mary Quintet, plus younger 100-point Cali cabs, might have cost my rating a point or two. Ridge MB is my favorite American red, and I'm guessing this will hit peak in another 5 years and sing for 10-15 after that. I rated a prior bottle 98 and think that range of 96-98 right now feels right. To get the most of this (or any Ridge MB), don't confuse it amidst a cacophony of wine, as we did last night. Enjoy it in more isolation to best contemplate its subtle glories.
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7/17/2022 - DougLee wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour and served at DED “retirement” dinner. Dark garnet. Nose of dense currant, pencil lead, plum blossom, and dark berry. Completely harmonious layers of plum, pure black currant, hints of eucalyptus, and tobacco hitting the palate with effortless concentration and elegance. Moderate acidity and smoothed tannin leading to a very long finish of still-vibrant fruit hovering over a structured foundation at the end. A monument of a wine, perfect with rack of lamb.
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7/10/2022 - JS199 wrote: 96 Points
This was really interesting compared to past vintages of MB(36% Merlot). The weightlessness in the mouth was extraordinary. The fruit was pure, never overripe or sweet.
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6/4/2022 - guitarguy wrote: 95 Points
Really great, Ridge is recommending this and the ‘04 as current drinks and boy are they right. Bright crimson color with not bricking but that cork came out in pieces. The nose was very fresh and full of smoky cranberry and just a hint of that American oak. Nice balance between acid, tannin and fruit that bodes well for further life but why wait. There’s a great fruit, tannin, great liveliness with a long but drying finish that doesn’t cloy or pucker. Even better than the ‘04 we had before that was great.
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5/15/2022 - gharter Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 3 hours, served with grilled T-bone. Wonderful aromas with blackberry, spice, pencil shavings, wild berry, and floral. Load with flavor showing blackberry, wild berry, spice, pencil shaving, tobacco, chocolate and earth. Soft tannins in the long finish. Just starting to hit its stride. No hurry to open the remaining bottles.
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3/20/2022 - llink wrote: 94 Points
PNP. Cedar, coconut, dill and black fruits on the spicy nose. The palate is deep with cassis flavors and a core of crunchy acidic fruit.
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3/5/2022 - yhn wrote:
No notes taken. This is a great vintage that was gorgeous young. I found a bunch at a good price recently to add to my stash. Hadn't had one in many years, so a get together with some local winemakers was a good opportunity to check in on it. Opened at the end of the evening as a pop-n-pour and got to follow it for an hour, until it was gone. Impressive, for sure. The baby fat is gone, the Draper perfume is pretty much gone. It showed more like Saratoga fruit. Opened up nicely with air. I'd say its potential was on display, so our group understood how great this wine is. But, it was nowhere near where it will be. Not a sin to open now. A decant wouldn't hurt. But, will only get better and better over the next couple decades.
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2/5/2022 - G_H wrote: 96 Points
A beautiful, beautiful Monte Bello. Red fruit, spice notes, cinnamon, light on its feet but intensly flavoured. Beautiful!
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12/24/2021 - oldwines Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted around 5pm and tasted over 6+ hours. Remarkably youthful with bright medium to dark garnet and no sign of bricking.Great nose of licorice, black raspberry, cassis, graphite and spice. Palate is silky smooth and in perfect balance with bright acidity, just a hint of remaining tannin, layers of dark berry fruit followed by secondary flavors that are both earthy and herbal. Finish is very long. Gorgeous wine and one that should last quite a bit longer. Perfect with wood fire grilled Beef Tenderloin and a Cabernet, Port and mushroom sauce. Really lovely!
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12/24/2021 - 6831 wrote: 94 Points
This bottle flashes deep aromas of eucalyptus and forest floor. Midpalate expressions are complex with spiced dark berry, dill, rhubarb and dried cherry.
Finish is rich but a bit short
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12/9/2021 - finediningnyc Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow, what a stunner. Its explosive bouquet wafts from the glass showing layers of sweet ripe red fruit, crème de cassis, mocha and black truffles, with well judged oak staying in the background. It expands on the palate showing superb depth, vibrancy, ripe tannins and an amazing lush and luxurious texture with a finish that just goes on and on. Hedonistic and opulent, this 40th anniversary vintage is absolutely singing at age 20, and it hides its record high 14.2% alcohol with ease. First growth California? ;)
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11/5/2021 - btock Likes this wine: 97 Points
I wanted to bring a special bottle to a good friend's milestone birthday event. This fortuntely delivered the goods as there was so behind the scenes drama. I opened the bottle at home to decant and was very glad I did as the cork truly disintegrated. After multiple filters was able to get the wine cleanly back in the bottle for transport to the restaurant and it showed beautifully. Bright garnet coloring and focus. Present but mouthwatering acidity, almost some pomegranate notes in the nose. And then layers and silky red fruits and notes of gentle potpourri. A delight. Great now and likely to hold very well for some time further.
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11/5/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Siggy Turns "Fitty": The Big 5-0 Blowout! (Spoon & Stable, Mpls, MN): I only got a sip or two of this so look to Chablis28 for some details. This was dark and dense with immense power and concentration and layer upon layer of deep dark and purple fruits, but still very lively and brisk, lots of graphite, purple flowers, tar and a Graves feel to it. Loved it. This is a long hauler.
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11/5/2021 - chablis28 wrote: 96 Points
My first big red of evening and my immediate tablemate Brian's btl at Siggy's fabulous 50th Bday dinner at Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis. I had this 4 yrs ago ( Brian's btl then too) & loved it then. What a head turner! Tonight it was once again nothing but impressive. My first thought was this reminds me more than a little a bit of one of my favorite BDX producers, Ducru Beaucaillou. Maybe a little bit Dunn & Latour like too :). Opaque ruby purple w/ garnet edges. So intense, concentrated and balanced with a complex array of dark fruit, underbrush, cigar, pine and other harmonics. Said to be be a blend of 56% CS, 36% Merlot + 8% Petit Verdot. Massive & yet relatively weightless thanks to its structure & acidity. Uniquely different from many if not most CA Cab blends. Such an amazing wine from high mountain site. Almost primordial and yet delicious. If only, there wasn't more of this style & terroir in CA. 96+ 14.2% alc on the label went completely unnoticed in my glass. Wish like hell I owned a couple of these myself! Thanks Brian!
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10/21/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine Spectator 40th Anniversary; 10/21/2021-10/23/2021 (Marriott Marquis): Really tasty wine that was just super tonight (the second night went back and think it might have been a bad bottle because less expressive).
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9/23/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
My 6th out of 9 and the groups 4th.
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8/24/2021 - guitarguy wrote: 92 Points
Cork was a bit iffy when I pulled it despite good storage but no affect on the wine. Expressive and open with herbs and fir in the nose and medium weight red berry, black pepper and bitter chocolate notes. Drink any time.
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8/21/2021 - ljones wrote: 95 Points
Excellent. Great drinking now.
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7/27/2021 - VinCA wrote:
Past its prime, but opened up toward the end.
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6/26/2021 - dbg wrote:
Pop-n-pour towards the end of the evening, after decanted bottles of 2005 Screaming Eagle and 2013 MacDonald. Perfect cork and fill. Dark red color, minimal lightening at the rim. Nose a little reserved at first but comes forth over an hour to show a very nice mix of cassis, dark berries, earth. Medium-full body, palate follows the nose, excellent balance, medium long finish. Stylistically very different from the Screagle and MacDonald, showing more classic, less modern. Would likely have benefited from a 1-2 hour decant as it was still improving at the end of the night. Should continue to drink well for another decade or two. All 6 of us ranked this between the other 2 cabs. Excellent.
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6/16/2021 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 96 Points
Older Californians Surt & Turf Dinner (McKay's, The American Club, Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong): Decanted for an hour then rebottled for 7 hours before serving with a Tomahawk steak. It needed every hour of the double-decant. Totally opaque red-purple Nose is OMFG…. powerful but so perfumed and elegant. Candied and beautifully multi dimensional spice. Palate is stunningly gorgeous. Silence creating. One of those wines where its quality transcends the need or ability to write many words. 96.....which is a very high score on my personal scale.
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6/9/2021 - Agunner23 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pretty good for a 20-year-old Monte Bello, sad that I had 2 bottles and took a glass with the corivan from one bottle with the fine needle and it ended up leaking for over 2 weeks and I did not notice it until I wanted to drink the rest and it was corked. Never going to do that again on an expensive bottle again. Glad the second bottle was great.
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6/3/2021 - Frank Schneider wrote: 97 Points
My 1000 nd tasting note !!! I looked for something special, and found some ! My best buddy is shortly fallen in love with Monte Bello. So I took my last bottle 2001 and we had a wonderful summer evening with a tremendous sundowner ! Gave him a 3 h decant and drank a smooth crowdpleaser with caracter and tension. Perfect balance between richness and herbal acidity. Fresh and long ! Amazing ! If you have drink it with your best friend ! Cheers !!!
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5/22/2021 - jshufelt wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with previous tasting notes.
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5/15/2021 - deadwax Likes this wine: 95 Points
This bottle was wonderful. Have two left, plan to open the next at age 25
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5/5/2021 - Mascarello59 wrote:
Coravin sample alongside 5 other Bordeaux type wines.
Pulling towards orange color. Initially dusty and with a lot of damp cellar but strangely enough this blows off after 2 hours and the fruit emerges coupled with high acidity. Wouldn't say its flawed byt not a completely good bottle though.
Pulled the cork 22-03-13 and it was pretty dry.
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4/10/2021 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine: 96 Points
Bottle 3/3. Deep purple with faint bricking. Finally after 2 broken corks a resounding pop and proper aciidity. Decanted for 2 hours. Initially very powerful black fruit bouquet which became less pronounced over time. Some nice black and red fruit, green capsicum, graphite and 15-20 second finish with a wave of fruit and lead pencil. Old style Bordeaux through and through with just a hint of sweetness. Lovely wine. I would have scored this 96-97 at times as the finish was just amazing but even at 20 years the wine seems very youthful and somewhat coiled and think well stored bottles can get there eventually. Some tobacco and mint leaf, reminds me a lot of the 04 Sassicaia. Bravo Ridge for making a very classic wine.
Note: upgraded after more reflection
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4/4/2021 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine:
Bottle 2/3 (1/3 was corked). Very classic Bordeaux style with tobacco and mint. Some graphite and plum. After twk hours a bit more fruit emerged. Given the richness of fruit other tasters have experienced this is probably a more advanced bottle.
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3/22/2021 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 92 Points
With beef tenderloin and asparagus/mushroom/onion medley.
Nice.
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1/24/2021 - hadlieh2 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened 2 hours- poured 30 minutes before consuming. W steak and mushrooms. Excellent dark almost black color. Old but not musty. Smooth, intense. Pleasant tannin not heavy. Tabacco? We are struggling w taste because it’s so approachable
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12/19/2020 - ipp Likes this wine: 94 Points
excellent. aging very well. beautiful balance and depth.
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11/6/2020 - dongagne Likes this wine:
Oh hell yes. Celebrated the election and liked it immensely. Still worthy of some years to develop further, but over the course of two hours this .375 opened and made the evening even better.
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10/9/2020 - rcg62 wrote: 95 Points
Really good. Color looks so young. Nose is terrific. Tons of black berry. But the finesse is what makes it. Long palate, acidity, balance. Good for 20 years.
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9/5/2020 - JKGarden wrote:
Gift
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6/10/2020 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 98 Points
Monte Bello is my favorite New World wine. The 2001 vintage is phenomenal and drinking well now, though it will improve further for years. Magnificent.
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5/21/2020 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Still very young and I think too early to really be drinking this even from half. Which is funny because it's from a 375. Part of the Aged Monte Bello tasting. There's an almost juiciness to this. Not ripe, but definitely there and almost overpowering the rest of the wine. Stronger tannin. Maybe a bit a background hint of tar. Not yet integrated. Some floral. Some more mint leaves. Give it time. I think it's going to be a lovely wine.
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4/26/2020 - rlove wrote: 94 Points
Blackberry, plum, mixed florals, graphite, and cedar. Plushly textured, bright acidity, fine tannins. I really dig the combination of youthful fruit with a more balanced, mature structure. The 2001 Monte Bello is excellent.
(56% Cabernet sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 8% Petit verdot. 14.2% ABV per label.)
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2/18/2020 - Goldstone wrote: 96 Points
'No Masks' Hong Kong Dinner (Table, 8th Floor, The Pemberton, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong): Decanted for 3 hours before serving than drank slowly over the next 2+ hours. Black-purple totally opaque. Nose is perfect graphite purity. Black fruit taken to a modern art painting level...impossible to put into words. Palate is oh wow.... purity and linear attack of ‘black slab’ fruit and stern but somehow tactile tannin. The resonance and reverberance is a deep, low toned hum that is almost ‘ohm’. Wow, this is so young but so beautiful. The purity of the fruit and its slightly confit aspect is stunning. Silence creating....which is my greatest compliment of a wine. Can only improve with age. My first of a case and I think I have timed this right. Almost everyone's WOTN against some similar drop-dead competition that I scored almost as highly. 96+
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2/17/2020 - nortonnose wrote:
Sigh. What's not to love about all things Monte Bello? This bottle was underwhelming, surely a one-off. This one had been resting in my cellar for years, so I was surprised that its cork was dried out and needed a fully crumbling removal. Strained and decanted for an hour, an enjoyable drink but this bottle was nowhere near the depth or complexity that make it such a thrilling experience. On to the next...
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1/26/2020 - tacman wrote: 97 Points
Smooth, balanced tannins, great fruit
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1/14/2020 - jshufelt wrote: 96 Points
I think some people found this wine a bit jarring after following a young fruit-forward Schrader, but I'm happy to die on this hill - by any definition of "singing", this wine is there. In the glass, reddish-auburn at the rim, shading gently to near-black at the core. On the nose, and the palate, aged notes of mint and cigar smoke, dark red fruit, a smooth but structured texture, and a long finish with no harsh notes or edges, inviting you to have another sip.
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11/14/2019 - ipp wrote: 92 Points
dark color. forward nose with hints of pencil lead and dark berries. firm tannins, juicy acidity. leather, subtle fruit. long, mouth-watering finish. could use 3-5 more years to mature and last 20-30 more. will get better. potential 96+
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9/20/2019 - Old Vino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lots of potential. Very delicious. Most impressive on day 2 left over in decanter!
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9/7/2019 - Collector1855 wrote: 96 Points
A friend brought this, my favorite wine from the US. It did not disappoint. Nose of ripe fruit with some earthy scents, licorice, blueberry, toast, vanilla and black forest cake. The ripeness here is not over the top as so often with Napa neighbors. This Santa Cruize mountain Cab stays balanced. Very good length too. 96+
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8/3/2019 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 98 Points
General comments from last night's dinner. Wow. This is a great wine with gorgeous fruit, balanced tannins and an everlasting finish. It remains powerful and competed well in a line up of heavy hitters, many much younger, at the dinner. For me it was a close call for wine of the night. The Monte Bello was nosed out for first place by the 2012 Hidden Ridge Impassable Mountain but essentially they were equivalent. Here was the line-up:
1. 2012 Hidden Ridge Impassable Mountain 99 points
2. 2001 Monte Bello 98 points
3. 2014 Schrader RBS 97 points
4. 2011 Shafer Relentless 97 points
5. 2003 Dominus 96 points
6. 2014 Dancing Hare 95 points
7. 2014 Abreu Madrona Ranch 94 points
8. 2014 Pride 93 points
9. 1995 Yquem 95 points
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6/12/2019 - norsktorsk wrote: 97 Points
awesome
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6/4/2019 - walkerjfw wrote: 97 Points
Zurich Supper Club in London (W/CVA and Andrew)- great start to Summer '19 (HIDE Restaurant - London, UK): One of my contributions for the evening. First bottle from an OWC in my cellars for some time and my first tasting of this vintage of MB. Really fun to taste this with some great wine friends...Decanted for about 90 minutes by the time we got to this.
Dark garnet color, no signs of age. Nose showing dark fruits, currants/cherry, pencil and sweet tobacco. Smooth and elegant texture. Palate showing dark cherry, spice, leather and black licorice. Tannins still present but softening a bit. Full bodied, long and layered finish.
The 2001 has been a much hyped vintage of MB - 40th anniversary and ripeness of the vintage - so I was eager to try it. Happy to say the wine lives up to the hype (IMO). Beautiful showing on this evening. At the beginning of a long drinking window, will be fun to drink this as it evolves. May be one of the Monte Bellos with a 50 year life? May score higher in another 5 years
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5/13/2019 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had this alongside a 2001 Hundred Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan, at a NYC restaurant. Both were decanted and allowed to sit for more than 30 minutes before they were poured. From the get go, the Hundred Acre had a more fruit driven nose and taste. But as a group, we preferred the Monte Bello. It was seamless, elegant, and complex. Notes of licorice and a little menthol, with a very long finish.
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5/5/2019 - acyso wrote: flawed
Vinetasters: Ridge Monte Bello (Skokie, IL): Served double blind from magnum. Corked. My 11th, group's 10th.
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4/8/2019 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 92 Points
From magnum. Not decanted despite my advice to the friend who generously brought it to dinner. Deep red-purple almost opaque. Nose is lovely elegant lifted black-red fruits but more reticent from magnum than from a standard bottle. Palate is deep, rich, belly-filling black and red fruits. Good linearity but less evolved than the standard bottle I drank last month and which was exceptional, although it unfolded gently with extended time and started to show the classic Lafite-like pencil lead and graphite I associate with this wine. Solid but still sleeping in this format. Needs a very big decant or hiding in the cellar for another 5 years.
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4/4/2019 - chull Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fabulous, balanced, wonderful nose, great with lamb at Marche!
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3/13/2019 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wednesday Dinner at Friends' House (Their House, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong): 3-hour decant. Brand new looking cork. Deep red-purple opaque colour. BLAM.... the nose is awesome in its freshness, purity and linearity.... Lafite-like graphite elegance and razor precision. We are in 1st Growth territory here. Palate is the same alluring jewelled brightness and precision.... wow, it just stops you dead in your tracks, except this massive understated powerful growling resonance and reverberence even before the swallow. Gosh...the length goes on forever with a huge smile on your face. Endless length. Wow. 95+ even at this early beginnings of its drinking window. Has an easy 10 years to improve from here. Everyone's WOTN.
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2/28/2019 - pakabear Likes this wine: 96 Points
Sweet cherry, blackberry, plum, extremely smooth and drinking very well right now. The mouthfeel is superb and has perfect balance. I'd open this now if you have some as I love where it is right now.
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2/28/2019 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Mostly Napa Cabernet Dinner (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Perfectly mature yet youthful nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit, crushed blackberry and blueberry, blackberry jelly, a hint of plum wild flowers, lead pencil, a hint of cedar and earth. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, nicely layered black fruit, silky and polished, bright acidity, earthy mineral, fine tannins and a long sweet fresh black fruit driven finish with lead pencil at the end. Drinking beautifully in a very youthful way.
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12/10/2018 - Kevnzworld wrote: 93 Points
Overall this was nice, but not up to a 95+. Yes it’s balanced, the tannins resolved etc
But it’s missing character and the tangentals that make drinking an older better wine great. It’s young in Monte Bello terms but it doesn’t have the structure for a better life imo
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12/8/2018 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Lovely black and blue fruits. Smooth. A touch of veggies with sweet Oak. 20+ second finsih
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12/1/2018 - Cailles wrote: 95 Points
Kreuzritter - Vol. 3: Tasted Blind. The highlight here is the balance with all components in a beautiful harmony. The wine is still somewhat young and I have the feeling that in 5 years time it will show even slightly better – not that the structure could markedly improve from here but the aromatic profile and the complexity can.
TN: Aromatic wise, this is a bit more developed than what I would have expected from this forever young estate. Good tertiary aromatics with leather, tobacco, cola and a sting of sweet/candied red strawberries along with only hints of darker forest fruit. Very round and balanced with a lot of tannins, lots of acidity which promise a long life. Good and very long finish.
Decanting: Decanted for 5+ hours and it seemed to need that.
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10/22/2018 - jshufelt wrote: 96 Points
Oh my. Pop and pour, open for business from the get go. Still looking relatively young in the glass, no auburn tints, just dark brooding red. On the nose, a reticent mix of cedar, mint, and currants. The palate is where this comes fully alive - beautifully smooth, integrated, with aged notes balanced against the fruit and working together, on a silky, elegant palate. No harsh notes or textural oddities, just a pristine example of an aged wine at peak.
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10/6/2018 - Ianthemac Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wine supplied by a good friend from his cellar. The cork was a bit ropey, but all was good after a decant. Stunning, huge nose of liquorice, menthol, chocolate and jammy fruits. We left it for two hours before diving in. My oh my this was special - little sign of aging visually. It was dark and impenetrable with very little ochre on the rim. The tannins were so so soft and there was still a bit of acidity which suggests this has a long way to go. The menthol, chocolate and jammy fruits carried through with damson, prune and figs to the fore with a lingering moreish finish. Such a clean and precise with full of power and also finesse.
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6/17/2018 - jshufelt wrote: 94 Points
Perhaps I spoke too soon with the bottle we had a couple of weeks ago. After a two-hour decant, this one was singing - aged aromatics, fruit, and complexity in balance, with a smooth, refined texture. With SRF filets, a perfect match. Loved it.
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6/7/2018 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points
In many ways, this felt like the "lite" version of the 1997 Monte Bello. As with the 97, auburn at the rim, shading to black at the core, and on the nose, forest floor and currants. On the palate, a nicely resolved cab blend with a relatively long finish, but lacking the menthol aromatics, the silky texture, and the palate complexity of the 97. There are still some unresolved tannins here, but I'm not sure there are enough to push the wine much further along its evolution curve. We'll see. For all of that grousing, it must be said that this is still a lovely, balanced wine.
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6/6/2018 - davidspieker wrote: 91 Points
Dark reddish orange and murkey. Aromas of dark cherry, meat and earth. Rich and ripe dark fruit flavors with beautiful texture and silky finish. Lengthy with good acidity.
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3/9/2018 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not quite as good as my previous bottle. It was opened, but not decanted at a restaurant and it was able to sit for 30 minutes before pouring. Some very slight prune/oxidized flavors present. Long finish. Still really good, but I was expecting greatness. Maybe it is not a "bring to the restaurant wine" as it may need an extended decant.
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1/15/2018 - guitarguy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this bottle. If not peaking I’d say it is at one of its peaks. Aromatic nose with underbrush and fresh cut fir. Ample but slightly restrained flavors of blueberry, ash, caressing tannin. Very good.
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12/1/2017 - galewskj wrote: 94 Points
Going Big at Dan's (Dan's House): I did not give this wine the attention it deserved. This was elegant and intense at the same time. I wish more producers in California would make this style. I need to seek this wine out.
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11/30/2017 - mattiasjansson wrote: 94 Points
Napa Cabs in Boston: Dark red. Silky tannins. Deep, rich dark fruit. Licorice.
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11/29/2017 - btock Likes this wine: 96 Points
Just in great condition. full package of aromatics and generous palate. Vibrant berry nose complimented crushed petal and a touch of evergreen. High toned minerality and then all sorts of good stuff going on with the palate. Nice midweight mouthfeel and engaging purple fruit. This was a treat. In a good spot now and can hold.
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11/29/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 96 Points
Brian's btl and, I believe this was decanted at Dan's place upon arrival? We drank it about 2 hours in. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot. This was impressive and my #2 wine of the night and only slightly one upped by a '95 Margaux. I'm kicking myself that I've never purchased this wine over the years. Dark opaque almost purple color. Just coming into prime drinking at age 16 and IMO has a chance of further evolution and added nuance. I'd love to own 2 or 3 of these and Brian said he'll open his last one me present. I'll hold him to that :). For me this was the "Latour" of the night with its iron fist in a velvet glove masculinity to the '95 Margaux's silky feminity and grace. Terrific aromatics with a lifted & focused mix of both dark & red fruit, tobacco, cedar,saddle leather, earth and mineral. Having been to the site about six years ago I can see how this wine gets it balance and admirable structure. Big as it, this wine succeeds in never coming off flabby, heavy or jammy like too many CA Cab/Cab blends. Very impressive and spot on tonight!
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11/23/2017 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum. Just a lovely bottle at its plateau and so very smooth. Really enjoyable for our Thanksgiving dinner.
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10/17/2017 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 94 Points
P/P and closed to start; evolving in the glass such that i tasted about five different wines over two hours. Lovely mature perfectly ripe fruit, picking up complexity and length over time with mature wild cherry, tobacco, sous bois, and tea.
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8/7/2017 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 94 Points
It started out pretty decent, and I was encouraged by the soundness of the cork. The flavors were well balanced and the fruit was better that last year, but i think it may have gone bad and I wasn't tasting it until later. My stomach felt unsettled as the night went on and the same result occurred the next day. If it did go bad the flavors somehow held up. Maybe some day I'll own another and give it another try. Still a very nice blend that should age.
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6/17/2017 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted with steak. Oak still quite at the forefront. Needs more time and probably too ripe for me. 14.2%
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5/27/2017 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had this alongside a 2007 Shafer One Point Five and a 2003 Dunn Howell Mountain. The Ridge was the clear favorite and I'm bumping up my score from last year by a point. Its aging beautifully. And its why I don't like to touch Monte Bello until at least 10 years past its vintage date.
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4/23/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Tasting (Ridge Monte Bello, Cupertino): From a 375. Lovely aged aromatics with forest floor, mulch, lovely fruit; palate is full bodied, excellent acid, lovely; medium finish. Drinking perfectly now. 93
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3/23/2017 - POBlund Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at 12 vintage vertical by Michel Jamais.
Nose balanced black currant/cassis, lavender, black cherries. Beginning maturity.
Dry elegant body palate of cassis, plum, cedar, mushrooms, structure with high fine-grained tannins. Long finish. 14,2%
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3/13/2017 - markydecker Likes this wine: 96 Points
Rated 96 as I believe more cellar time can raise the score. An infant at 16 years, there is absolutely no sign of age. Deep opaque purple, no bricking. Aromas of black fruits, unsmoked tobacco, saddle leather, licorice and cocoa soar from the glass. Racy acidity, dense fruit and bracing acidity on the well balanced chassis of a wine for the ages. Among the very best Montebellos, in my opinion. Has more than enough stuffing to be around well past 2025. A great example of what California Cabernet can achieve in the hands of skillful winemakers who follow the proper course, and for those who are willing to postpone their gratification for a few decades. I felt very fortunate to drink this with my good friend Dr. Montgomery, and just smile from ear to ear with enjoyment. Paul Draper, you are amazing.
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1/15/2017 - oldwines Likes this wine: 98 Points
Six courses on short notice with some great football: For me this bottle was the best wine of the night. Decanted 3-4 hours before the course was served. Deep dark, opaque garnet colored with an effusive nose of mushroom, earth, chocolate, blackberry bramble, tobacco, cedar and ripe black plum. The mouth feel was luscious and rich with some tannic structure that enhanced the flavors and made the food pairing lively and interesting. Great balance and complexity with layers of flavors reflecting those in the nose and a very long finish. Great with the venison and so easy to drink.
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12/29/2016 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 95 Points
Superb CA Cabernet drinking fantastically well. Should have decanted earlier. Really approaching the top of its game.
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11/10/2016 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Thursday Day Off (Rainbow Restaurant, Sok Kwu Wan, First St,, Lamma Island, Hong Kong): (From magnum...opened for several hours but served undecanted in 125cl local restaurant glasses). Still almost totally opaque but the black-red has faded slightly to crimson. Nose of warm, welcoming blue and red fruit. Palate is wow, so rich, rounded and elegant. A big wine that is still too primary but you have all this great classic Monte Bello stuff going on here.... cedar roofs in sunlight, fantastic depth of blue fruit, subtle but persistent mild Asian spice, wonderful rounded mouthfeel but still with youthful tension of tannin. Long and slow-releasing length and resonant reverberance. Wow, very long. Friggin' fabulous. 94+
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11/5/2016 - dwmichel Likes this wine: 96 Points
Stunningly beautiful and seamlessly integrated. Classic ripe blackberry fruits, cocoa, dark chocolate, spicy oak... what can I say that hasn't been said? This still has a decade or even two of maturity.
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11/5/2016 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 97 Points
A Matter of Taste (Meritage Resort & Spa Napa, CA): 96-97: This has aged gracefully, nice balance, resolved tannin, drinking great now
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9/19/2016 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 96 Points
At 50th. (From memory).
Deep dark wine. Fantastic integrated wine, both Bordeaux and New world, brooding but accessible, long.
Drinking well now but will last another 5 to 10 years.
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9/17/2016 - twoamps Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drank side-by-side with a 2000 Lynch Bages over a red-meat dinner. An interesting comparison. Decanted and drank. Both similarly deep red, clear, very little sediment, no bricking at all. The two wines started out as you'd expect--the Lynch-Bages' minerality dominated, the Monte Bello was much more fruit forward, but as the evening went on, the Monte Bello fruit mellowed a bit as did the LB slatey-ness. The MB was wonderfully balanced, some tar and chocolate and cedar(?) notes, and quite a long, chewy finish. Has a long road ahead of it. At the end, the similarities between the two were more surprising than the differences. Still, our California palates preferred the MB.
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8/5/2016 - oldwines Likes this wine: 97 Points
I just loved this wine, so balanced and pure with finesse and complexity. Decanted at 6pm and drunk from about 8-10pm. Lovely medium to dark garnet with no sign of bricking or age. Nose is effusive with some vanilla, blackberry bramble, black tea, black plum and cedar. Great texture on the palate, rich and chewy. The tea, blackberry and cedar are most obvious on the palate. The finish is quite long lasting a good 45+ seconds. Great with a grilled Prime Strip Steak. By no means a fruit bomb or modern this is classic Cali Cab the likes of which I thank Paul Draper for and hope will continue now that he is retiring from day to day operations!
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5/24/2016 - RayOB wrote: 93 Points
The Judgement of Paris (67 Pall Mall): Drank at 67
Quite subdued nose with tar, earth and dark fruit. Smooth integrated palate. Nice.
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5/22/2016 - rgujral Likes this wine: 90 Points
We had this on Saturday night with NY Strip and it showed well. 2nd bottle of the evening. Decanted at cellar temperature for 8 hours prior to pouring. It was somewhat lean but classy. Some chocolate, mint and cherry flavors. Right now the P to Q ratio isn't quite there for me though I am a big fan of Monte Bellos in general. I've had 5 of this vintage since 2010 and this one wasn't quite as good as the others - perhaps in an awkward phase? Plan on trying the remaining after 2020.
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4/15/2016 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 94 Points
My second bottle in less than a year, I think I will hold off on the next bottle for at least another year. Its drinking very well, but it still tastes youthful, I have a feeling it may be even better in a year.
I think the blend for this vintage has less Cabernet Sauvignon than most vintages of Monte Bello. This vintage is 56% CS, which is far and away the lowest % of the 7 vintages (1999, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2011, 2012, & 2013) that I have in my collection.
We drank this alongside a 1996 Solaria. The two wines played nicely together.
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4/9/2016 - pmarlo wrote: 93 Points
A well balanced wine but seems fading a bit. I know this has a long life in it so perhaps it was a dumb phase I had it in. Fruit has fallen off but replaced by secondary and tertiary flavors which are well evolved.
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3/26/2016 - AllRed wrote: 95 Points
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Mark & Rochelle's): Inky crimson color, almost opaque at the core. Aromas of violets, plum, cedar and black fruit- cassis and currants. I immediately thought this was our Monte Bello. Firm on the entry and across the midpalate, but showing an abundance of fruit too- black cherry, blackberry and red berry- along with lavender and violet nuances that culminate in a long, balanced finish.
I was certain this was our wine, but so was another taster certain it was his wine. I was about to let go of a victorious "ha" when the wine was unveiled as the back label appeared and the bottle began to spin to the front...and there the vintage appeared...not ours- there would be two Monte Bellos today! This had been decanted at noon and rebottled only before travel, so about four hours total. This still needs another 5 years at a minimum- 10 would be better, and don't even think about touching a magnum until 2026.
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1/1/2016 - Rezy13 wrote:
Dark core, maroon rim; fresh dark fruit, cedar, sandalwood, grainy, creamy oak, some age, high toned, big, tar, still seems quite youthful; high toned on the palate, grainy tannin, grippy, red and dark currant, good taut finish; still so young but like potential, 92+.
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1/1/2016 - guitarguy Likes this wine: 94 Points
A great bottle riding a wave, dare I say a peak. Nose of earth, peat, deep blue fruit. Flavors are ripe but lean, red currant, ash and earth, a bit a cracked pepper and a moderate to long finish. Galloni nailed this in July. Drink any time.
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12/11/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Bruiser of a nose. Warm cherry compote, charred meats and a little cigar ash. The palate os awesome with some cassis, meats and a little slate. Almost there but theres some lagging tannins. Really good.
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10/25/2015 - stealthman_1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich and luxurious this was drank alongside the 2001 Château Montelena and dominated in every way absolutely beautiful from 375 mL can't wait to drink this again in 10 years from 750. An absolutely beautiful wine.
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9/12/2015 - Zorg wrote: 94 Points
Drank alongside Ch Pavie -03, Ch Montrose -00 and Tignanello 2007 and was for me the clear winner.
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9/11/2015 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 97 Points
Consistent with my note from a year ago. This wine has barely budged but is in the beginning of what will be a long and glorious drinking window. Rich on the palate yet not heavy with dark fruit and cherry tobacco flavors. Incredible freshness and purity that is the hallmark of a legendary Cali Cab. Great stuff.
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9/6/2015 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had this at dinner at Keens Steakhouse in NYC. It was one of 4 wines, 2 CA Cabs, 1 CA Merlot blend and 1 AU Shiraz. This was my first of the 6 bottles that I have that I tried. Opened and not poured for about 2 hours. Like most Monte Bellos I have had, it needs to be opened (and hopefully) decanted for a while before drinking. Really nice wine, almost outstanding. But for me, not as good as the slightly lower rated 2000 Monte Bello. This still has years of life ahead of it. Long finish, good balance between fruit, tannin and acidity.
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8/20/2015 - TomTom wrote:
Went to Church & State and decided to go with this one as its been ages since I've opened a Monte Bello. Just a wonderful nose and a beautiful palate of fruit and a bit of earth on the finish. One of the more balanced and satisfying Cabs I've had in a while. Have one more and will try to hold it for another 5-10 years, but this was in a good place at 14 years old.
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6/21/2015 - guitarguy Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was really good. Explosive nose of smoke and currant that really lifts. Blackberry, currant, some fresh berry like unfermented juice, just a hint of oak and mint. Tannins are a bit heavy, maybe slightly distracting, but that's a nit. Really quite nice.
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12/31/2014 - leothegecko Likes this wine:
My first Monte Bello, and it did not disappoint at all. Decanted 3 hours, then drank over 3 hours. Tannin definitely present at opening, and decanting definitely softened and opened it up.
Excellent wine with a long life ahead of it. Looking forward to more of this and other vintages in the future!
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12/26/2014 - Brett wrote: 94 Points
Great wine!
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12/4/2014 - guitarguy wrote: 87 Points
This bottle was tight, muted and offered little outside a decent berry nose. May be dumb right now.
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10/15/2014 - Lipsman Does not like this wine: 88 Points
This is quite an unusual wine for Monte Bello. It is 14.2% alcohol but tastes higher. It is hot with alcohol in both the aroma and the taste. The color is still a bright, young purple. The taste is that of a blousy California cult wine with alcoholic heat, over-ripe stewed fruit compotes, licorice, and a long finish. Not something a Monte Bello fan would like, but will be appreciated by those who follow Parker.
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8/23/2014 - Rieslingfan Likes this wine:
Mature? Heck no. Delicious? Hell yes! Silky and soft on the front, with lots of stuffing that masks the structure on the back end. This is very pleasurable to drink now from 375 ml bottle. Long way to go, but luscious now.
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8/7/2014 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 96 Points
From half bottle. Slow oxed for 12 hours. Wow, this is a 50 year wine. Still showing primary dark fruit notes along with some secondary notes of tobacco and cedar. This wine is a ringer for a good left bank Bordeaux. Great texture, lift, and depth.
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7/6/2014 - levinml wrote: 95 Points
This is what high end cab drinking should be. At the core, really good flavors, but supported by balance of tannin, acid and alcohol that make you want to just swirl this in your mouth for a long time. Finishes long. Very good drinking now, may get even better, but why wait? At half the price (or less) of cult cabs, this is a steal.
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7/2/2014 - bablues wrote: 95 Points
Judgement of Chicago (Nomi): Tasted blind. Nose was beautiful with dark fruit and black licorice. Taste was elegant, beautiful, powerful, vibrant and explosive with a long finish.
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2/1/2014 - nortonnose wrote: 94 Points
From 750ml purchased at auction. Stood bottle for days. Night One: Decanted. Took over an hour to start to take shape, it was almost "hollow" (relative term) from the start. I've experienced this with many great wines - it seems like a big empty space, and with time and air those spaces fill in beautifully and very fully. Every subsequent minute after Hour Two, the wine continually improved. Deeper, richer, longer finish. Similarly, Night Two is every bit as good, even if just a hair more astringent. As a huge MB fan, I still believe this needs more time to fully integrate. Wait another 2-3 yrs to open this and then enjoy it over the next 10-15y
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1/24/2014 - rsprouse Likes this wine: 95 Points
A truly great wine, so glad I bought a bunch of this. The aroma is to die for... classic California Cab with cassis and a tiny bit of mint. Deep and rich, black cherries and anise, with a little minerality underneath. Paired perfectly with grilled steaks. The only negative I could cite would be a slight bitterness at the finish. I noticed this when I first opened it and poured a preliminary taste, though I didn't notice it later while enjoying it with the food. I would say it is probably at or near its peak, in the 375ml, and I'll wait a few more years for the 750's.
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1/8/2014 - guitarguy wrote: flawed
Seriously corked, tried the Saran Wrap trick but to little avail. Probably call Ridge.
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12/31/2013 - t_moderne wrote: 95 Points
This was from a magnum. Pulled the cork, poured into a decanter, and then back into the bottle. Poured off the sediment that ended up in the decanter. Left the cork out and then tasted about 2 hours later. tasted with food and then on its own.
Good dark color showing no real bricking at all. The nose is rich and seductive. the wine shows dark fruits (cherries), some slight chocolate notes, cedar and basil. It continues to evolve and open up as the wine sits in the glass. Layers of fruit in an understated and elegant style. It does not overpower you but just shows class and elegance sip after sip. Wonderful wine, still youthful some 12 years after the vintage date.
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10/17/2013 - Biglama Likes this wine: 93 Points
power, diepgang, veel fruit, rond, romig, ook de zuren zijn aanwezig
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9/21/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Open and decanted approx one hour before serving. Ripe black fruit aromas with dark chocolate, anise and kirsch. Lush and ripe flavors as well but with such elegant structural elements that this came together nicely, and kept picking up weight and intensity with more time in glass through dinner.
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9/8/2013 - blgros wrote: 95 Points
Really great wine--although it might be the wine talking! Smooth, elegant, good fruit, but deep and not heavy. Can't remember if 2001 was a hot year--seems on the riper side for Monte Bello. But great with the steak tonight, and great after.
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9/6/2013 - MWiking wrote: 96 Points
just perfect!
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9/5/2013 - Ramberg wrote: 88 Points
No doubt that this was the US wine in the blind flight.
Jammy, hot & alcohol filled turpentine vanilla nose.
Fully packed, all in full throttle fruit & oak bomb, heavy, thick and fat, with bitter oak on the finish.
It’s almost like a blend of overcooked Zinfandel and Merlot.
Good underlying tannins thought, but this will never be a fine and subtle wine.
It will most definitely age and become somewhat more integrated, and maybe in 10 – 15 years if revisited have turned in to something more balanced, but I doubt that I will ever truly enjoy this.
Too much of everything for me, and not my style at all.
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8/26/2013 - bigredPA Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was ridiculous. Layers of complexity, with abundant fruit & loamy earth, with notes of tobacco and hints of perfume. Luxurious mouthfeel, soft, supple, and superbly balanced. Outstanding.
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7/13/2013 - nortonnose Likes this wine: 95 Points
VTS fill, 750ml. Double decanted and enjoyed this over two different days (most on Wed, the rest on Sat!) and it showed beautifully in both sessions. Deep garnet/nearly purple color. Sweet fruit and nuanced perfume nose. Palate was smooth, rich, balanced and sweet (agree completely w/others' assessment of the 01's "extra Merlot."). No rush at all to drink the next one. One of the greatest, most consistent wines in the world (a huge compliment coming from someone who will always take Bdx over Napa!).
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7/6/2013 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
Russk. P,P,Ph and Simone at Peter's. This was the WOTN. 1st nose of laudry detergent (in a good way), then accasia flowers, then mature AmOak. Nice food wine.
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6/19/2013 - joefouche wrote: 95 Points
Decanted at the table and it let out a huge aroma -- enough for everyone to notice. In the glass it smelled like a decade-old blend normally does to me, with sweet fruit and ink layered on barnyard funkiness. Each sip had a smooth start with slightly restrained fruit; it could have used even more air. The higher than usual Merlot gives some unusual layers of spices and sweetness. I counted about a 45-second finish. The tannins still assert themselves a little, so it can go even longer. Overall, a luxurious and memorable addition to a good meal.
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6/1/2013 - JR_Boston wrote: 97 Points
Very earthy, complex. Reminiscent of Bordeaux blends. My favorite of the 3 in the lineup
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5/5/2013 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Young but a bit dead today. Muted, quintessential Cali Cab.
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11/16/2012 - wine_snob wrote: 94 Points
earthy, aged oak, mature fruit. very well done finish. rap with Kobe steak.
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10/7/2012 - guitarguy wrote: 92 Points
Very nice right now, opens up immediately to a spicy, currant nose with moderate tannin, juicy acidity. Flavors tend towards the old World, with black currant, cedar box and sour cherry notes. Not big or overextracted, goes for restraint and a certain coolness of tone. Perhaps it faded just a bit after sitting in the bottle for 5 hours, but that would be splitting hairs.
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9/29/2012 - Wine_lvr wrote: 94 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Vertical Tasting 1974 - 2008 (Switzerland): Intensive deep red. Creme de Cassis in the nose, alcohol is present reminding me a bit of an Amarone nose. Very tannic and complex, lots of dark berries, chocolate. Acidity is present but well integrated. One feels the high percentage (36%) of Merlot in this Monte Bello. This wine needs time to involve in a legendary Monte Bello. Currently at 94 with the potential of 96-98. Drink 2016 - 2035
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9/2/2012 - vinoballo wrote: 95 Points
This wine hung in there against heavy hitters from Pride, SQN, and Cayuse. Drinking perfectly... Opened eight hours early but would have benefitted from some decanting. Still by the end of the night it was fantastic.
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7/11/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
The first bottle from the case is always fun to taste, as you do not know what to expect. I was not let down. From a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot, the wine pops with cassis, blackberry, earth, spice, tobacco and forest floor notes. Big, rich, concentrated and packed with layers of ripe, juicy, dark berries, soft tannins and freshness, everything is in place for a long life. This is still young. For a wine that's over a decade old, the color still looks like a young wine! You can either enjoy in its earth, or lay it down for another decade or more. When mature, this will probably deserve another Pt or two! It's really great example of California Caberent Sauvignon.
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6/13/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Another great dinner with some good wine (EL Ideas - Chicago IL): Black cherry aromas with liqueur hints and licorice. Flavors of black cherry and plum with plenty of assertive structure today, showing prominent tannins and acidity. No question this powerful wine has lots of potential, but i wouldn't revisit this for at least another 5 years, probably another 10 years.
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6/3/2012 - Cloverstudio wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding bottle at what seems like the beginning of its stride. Mature enough, but some slightly firm tannins giving it a backbone. Ready to drink, but certainly no rush.
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5/17/2012 - Thilo wrote: 92 Points
Inky dark in color. Nose shows tar, currant, and coffee. On the palate, this is still a young and full-bodied wine. Lots of dark fruit at the fore with a mineral undertone and still prominent tannins. I would give it at least another 5 years to try again.
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5/12/2012 - Michael Moore wrote:
wine and steak dinner, 2nd annual supporting Boys and Girls club. All enjoyed this wonderful wine.
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5/10/2012 - short and confused wrote: 95 Points
Color: dark ruby. Nose: Mature cabernet notes of bell pepper, minerals, licorice and espresso. Mouth: Pleasent but mouth coating tannins. Complex dark red fruits, graphite and licorice. Long finish. Kept me enthralled for hours. Drank side by side with the 2005 which was also wonderful but much younger.
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5/1/2012 - Pre-emptive wrote: 90 Points
Black tea, whisky barrel and cola. Weird profile and aftertaste.
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3/7/2012 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Smoky, loamy nose with hints of raspberry. Flavors include currant, green tea, oak vanilla with ample, fine but drying tannins. Not a great show today.
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1/13/2012 - Brett wrote: 93 Points
Very good wine.
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1/6/2012 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted blind: Deep in color. Nose of dark berries, plums and leather. The wine is still quite dry and sticks to ones teeth. At the same time very smooth tannins. Already a superb wine but still too young for a Monte Bello. Put this "legend in the making" away until 2018.
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12/31/2011 - Tarrant wrote: 95 Points
(No Formal Tasting Notes) New Year's Eve wine number 7 - This was outstanding, still very youthful and a classic example of great Cali Cabernet, at this stage of the evening this was one that I selfishly wished I had kept back (95 Points).
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12/24/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
TN: Heidsieck, Fontalloro, Clos des Papes, Monte Bello, Hall (Pronza's): From magnum. Still way too young, check back in at least a decade. That said, purple in color. Lovely nose of cassis, dark cherries, dusty with some smoke and bits of vanilla. Great mouth feel. With time, it started to unwind and demonstrate a real complexity. Long finish. Just a gorgeous wine, but really needs a long time despite being 10 years old already. We got into a discussion on how long these wines could last. I have to believe in a great vintage, these will give any red from Bordeaux a run for the money in that department.
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11/18/2011 - fullpour wrote: flawed
Low level TCA. Feh.
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10/6/2011 - winelegends.net wrote: 95 Points
Herrlicher Stoff von Anfang an.
Dunkles Rot mit violetten Anklängen.
Herrliche Johannisbeeren,Brombeeren,Eiche Vanille leichte Minze,seidig samtenes Mundgefühl,Textur zum reinknien.
Gerbstoffe schon gut integriert und sehr langer Abgang.
Einfach herrlich dieser Wein.
95+
Dazukommende Erdaromen.
Really a great young wine.
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9/19/2011 - cabber wrote: 97 Points
Wow, fantastic! Decanted 4 hours. Beautiful deep ruby color, bordeaux-like nose, balanced fruit, and long finish. Mature now, but should last for quite some time in the cellar.
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9/1/2011 - Martin Redmond wrote: 95 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Day Library Tasting: Medium garnet color with wonderfully aromatic aromas of kirsch and black fruit. On the palate, it was smooth,concentrated with a seductive complexity with black cherry, cassis, and mineral flavors, and a hauntingly long finish.
56% Cabernet Sauvignon; 36% Merlot; 8% Petit Verdot 14.2% ABV
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8/29/2011 - twoamps wrote: 89 Points
quite nice but not remarkable. Help up well, not recognizably old. good balanced fruit, nicely layered,
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7/17/2011 - guitarguy wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful, soaring nose of black currants, licorice, cedar and eucalyptus. Black currant, well-integrated oak, leaf and leather flavors hit the front of the mouth in a refreshing manner. Feels a bit thin in the mid-palate which may be due to the ample, fine tannin and a bit of acid snap but hardly much to complain about. Wonderful Monte Bello, Cali cab that may be entering a nice drinking window.
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6/3/2011 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Explosive, fruit driven nose. Only 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, there is abundant fruit that is balanced by good acidity and tremendous tannins.
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5/16/2011 - markjanes wrote: 94 Points
wine was decanted and drunk over the next 3 hours or so... very dark color, extremely expressive nose full of dark and red fruits, hints of mint, notable new American oak notes of dill and vanilla, has that flinstones vitamin minerality thing going on for me... on the palate moderate to high acidity, a firm but generous midpalate, very firm, moderately ripe tannins that are still quite gritty, moderate ETOH. The wine has great balance (there is a lot of new oak but it is well balanced by intensity of fruit), fantastic length, fantastic intensity, great complexity and detail at this young age. Wine has some finesse, a very firm but fine texture, and really expresses its place quite well. I must say I was most impressed by this wine... intense yet not over the top, not afraid of some green elements, not afraid to use American oak which plays a significant role in the aromatic profile of this wine... maybe not everyone's style but for what it is most impressive. the wine has plenty of years ahead though today was just singing... wow.
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5/7/2011 - Michael Moore Likes this wine: 94 Points
Second place wine behind Rudd Oakville Red, ahead of Ridge Monte Bello, Chateau Montelena and Caymus Special Selection....all 2001's
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4/18/2011 - jlgnml wrote:
Flickinger Wines Ten Years After Tasting: 2001 USA Cabernets and Blends (Their store in Wilmette, IL): Great color, tanin, good legs, opened in the glass slowly. Ranked 1, group 1
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3/6/2011 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
Drank this from 375ml. We poured it into two glasses and let it breathe for 45 minutes, then drank it over the course of another hour. Still, I feel like it didn't get as much air as it needed. Very dark in the glass, with black fruits, tar, and a good dose of tannins in the finish. Tight. I wish I had another one...I'd leave it for 10 more years and try again.
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1/23/2011 - bigcat wrote: 93 Points
fantastic.
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6/20/2010 - yhn wrote: 95 Points
Nose - deep savory black currant, hints of ginger, molasses and redwood.
Deep dark black and purple fruit, dusty tannin, black currant, char, olallieberry, rustic, smoky, lime zest, firm, minerally.
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6/6/2010 - Mark wrote: 94 Points
This was certainly a wonderful bottle of wine. Different experience than my last tasting a year ago from a 375. Opened an hour ahead of time, and the wine was drinking at a perfect stage. Lush, balanced, wonderful dusty rich red fruit. Drinking great right now and I believe it will continue to improve somewhat.
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3/6/2010 - tthomas wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Dark purple, almost black, nearly to the rim. Sweet black fruit in many layers, full bodied with prominent tannins. Finish goes on for 45+ seconds. An impressive wine now but I think I will wait a couple of years before trying the second bottle from the case. IMHO this wine will get better and better for several years.
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3/2/2010 - milwaukeewino wrote:
Decanted and drunk over many many hours. To celebrate getting home with twin baby girls.
Ridge was surely up to the occasion.
Beautiful nose of ripe fruit, minerals and herbs. Classic Ridge. Could mistake it for great Bordeaux from a warm vintage.
I can't even describe it. The whole thing was too perfect. Lush, full, lively, rich. Alive.
Really some sick shit.
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2/19/2010 - balassis wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at home with my friend Vassilis and my wife Marilena.
Decanted for about 2 hours prior drinking.
Inky/purple color.
After a good aeration into the glasses (so needs more aeration in the decanter), the fruit emerges.
A hint of dust also on the nose.
Full bodied, with round tannins. On the palate the Cabernet Sauvignon dominates.
Flavors of sweet red ripe fruits, oaky vanilla and chocolate.
Very long finish.
To pair with a well made steak.
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12/23/2009 - PMDias wrote: 94 Points
Great intense vinous Cabernet nose, dense, chunky cherry, chocolate, blackberry palate with a finish that went on forever. Most Cali Cab *wishes* it drank like this wine.
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12/11/2009 - taipanli wrote: 96 Points
Fabulous. Not giving much on the nose. Such poise with distinct masculinity. All components well integrated with dark fruit coming through nicely. Great balance and structured to age. Enjoy now but will no doubt will even better in 2-5 years.
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11/7/2009 - taipanli wrote: 95 Points
Deep garnet. At first quite closed with hints of black fruits, glycerin and oak. Nicely balanced and structured on the palate with a peppery edge. Finishes slightly austere but long. 2nd day (kept in Eurocave Sowine) exhibits more red fruit characteristics and quite a bot more expressive on the palate. Pleasant sweetness poking through the spicy edge. Coats the entire palate with smoothness and balance. Long finish. One to keep long term.
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10/6/2009 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Vertical 1972-2003 (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Powerful blackberry, black cherry, red cherry on nose with some mint and cassis, then spice in background. Lush and dense fruit on palate with powerful, elegant tannins and vibrant acidity. Just one step behind the 1994 in this flight, but perhaps with greater long-term potential, this is another vintage of Monte Bello hat has something for everybody. I would expect this to reach its full potential somewhere between 2020 and 2035.
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10/6/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Vertical 72-03 (Ken's house, northbrook IL): nose: extremely lovely and perfumed nose that has a real hi-toned quality to it that makes it ever so attractive with plush and round tones of dark red cherries, sour cranberries, dark berries, bits of black currant jam, and a touch of mint. There is a real rich and plush sense to this that comes with the higher merlot content, and the depth of this is sumptuous. Very young on the nose though too as its a bit tight at the same time
taste: showing off its youth on the palate with great rich full bodied tones of black currant jam, mint, dark red cherries, and a bushel full of fresh picked berries. THe tones come off as plush and round with medium acidity to it
overall: my no2, the group's no2. Overall for the group, this was a hair behind the 94 in this flight. For me this didn't have the full layering of the 94.........yet. It seems like a caterpillar that is just waiting in its cocoon and has a ton of class to it and is just so silky and classy that its hard not to like it. This has the ability to turn into a real beauty. Its hard to say what its aging curve will be as this possessed the highest merlot content of any of the wines, but it is an extremely attractive wine that will certainly be worth waiting a bit longer for
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7/5/2009 - Mark wrote: 92 Points
From a 375ml. Very nice, soft style, and ready to drink. The first 20 minutes showed a damp nose (not corked), but that disappeared shortly. Best after 30 minuites and drank well for hours. Fragremt. rich, ripe black fruit and a medium long finish.
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6/30/2009 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
Ridge Monte Bello vertical 1964 - 2002 (Institute of Directors, London): Denser and rounder than the '02, (the extra lushness presumably due to the much higher than usual merlot content - 36%), not so forthcoming, high acid again, but stylish
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6/10/2009 - WetRock wrote:
Mr Stox with T-Bone's Crew (Mr Stox, Anaheim, CA): Decanted and took about an hour to come out of a somewhat heavy sullen state. But open it did showing tons of richness without fat ripe fruits. Sweet woody cedar and wet brick aromas. Tons of fruit here that is very rich today still showing some flesh but very well balanced. This is a ways from maturity but is full of potential. Great.
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3/21/2009 - Carl Thoma wrote: 92 Points
Soft, Bordeaux complexity, good acidity. Ready to drink. Excellent food wine but by itself a little disappointing given reputation. Fruit there but gives way to other flavors - cedar, tobacco, pencil lead. Large percentage of Merlot makes this vintage soft.
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3/7/2009 - Miruvor wrote: 93 Points
Evaluated under less than ideal circumstances. Recent bottle travel, aerated in bottle for 2 hours.
Color: Dark purple with slightly lighter edge. No bricking at all.
Nose: Big nose of black fruits (very ripe black cherry, cassis, plum, blackberry. Sweet oak still prominent producing the typical perfumy notes of MB. Still very primary and fruit driven. I dont recall getting floral notes or any secondary or earthy notes yet.
Palate: Lush fruit, full bodied wine but so smooth that the size of the wine is hidden and it seems more elegant. Almost a creamy texture and there are some milk chocolate or mocha notes which I think come from the oak. Black fruits follow through on the palate and are very ripe. No overripe prune or raisins however. Medium length finish whcih does become tannic and a bit of alcohol peeps out but not too distracting. Still a primary fruit driven wine. If you like your wines with mature bordeaux notes then you will have to wait a long time for this one to come around.
An unusual year for MB: Tons of ripe fruit flavors, the most merlot in the blend probably ever, the highest alcohol ever at 14.2 percent. I am glad I have more of this.
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12/26/2008 - choule wrote: 94 Points
Highly aromatic and quite delicious. This estate always delivers.
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11/27/2008 - blgros wrote: 89 Points
From a 375 with Thanksgiving veal chops. A bit odd, fruity, slight alcohol, not really together. But still good depth and dark fruit.
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9/22/2008 - LEOCORP wrote: 94 Points
Very dark core, on the nose I get some new oak with dark fruits this wine is ripe that’s has chucks of blackcurrant and tobacco in the mouth the wine is rich and powerful like an fine Bordeaux it has great balance the wine is very expressive already this wine is all about power but not OTT very good.
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8/4/2008 - milwaukeewino wrote:
Part of vertical - full notes to come.
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7/16/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Tasted with Ridge Monte Bello '80, '90, '91, '92, '94, '96 (corked), '99, '00, '01 (in magnum). Quite a lovely night one might say.
My favorites of the night were the '90 and '99. But just barely. Meaning that every vintage seem to show the magnificence of this site, all were worthy of appreciation. All the wines showed dark black fruits, a certain tobacco anise-ness and precise purity of acids and tannins. The younger the wines were the more black fruit, the less tobbacco. All bottles were still viable and drinkable.
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6/1/2008 - boblerner wrote: 93 Points
drank at Blue Bottle w/Harry & Iris
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5/19/2008 - spacewrangler wrote: 94 Points
Purple in color, with nice oak spice, cedar and a burst of black currant on the expressive nose. Tobacco, black currant and spices abound - with great length. In 5 years when the tannin starts to integrate, this is a 95++ wine.
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5/3/2008 - ed-d wrote: 95 Points
Surprisingly soft & generous for this wine. Maybe, it's the high percentage of Merlot (35%) that is making the wine so approachable now. Lovely nose of currant & oak spice. Lush black currant fruit wrapped in some dusty tannins that kick in gently on the finish. A beautiful Monte Bello & the "wine of the night" for many of us.
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5/3/2008 - swazi wrote: 95 Points
Bordeaux like in smell and taste. well balanced wine, hitting its stride right now.
Minerally, earthy smell with flavors of black fruit and a hint of cedar.
very enjoyable.
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12/17/2007 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Grand Jury Chicagoan - 2001 Cab Merlot (Restaurant Michael): Powerful, effusive nose has black currants and chocolate. Rich, sweet fruit on the palate has medium body. Herbs add complexity. It loses some intensity across the mid-palate, potentially the result of you tannins. Group’s #2 WOTF. I was under-helmed but it could have been in the context of the next 3 wines. 90 – 92 points.
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11/17/2006 - hifiwine wrote: 94 Points
wow, need more
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10/28/2006 - Thilo wrote: 95 Points
Color is dark garnet/purple to the rim. Nose shows sweet, chunky dark fruit, spice, tar, and smoke. On the palate, big black fruit, tar, earth, and a touch of mocha make up a blockbuster flavor profile that has yet to fully unwind. Suprisingly approachable at this point, but tannins are still playing a major role. Will only get better.
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12/15/2004 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Heritage: Lots of flavors; interesting layers of underbrush, dirt w/cassis, med. red frt; glycerin, full t’s w/med. bod silkiness. Great.
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12/6/2004 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Heritage: Sweet leather nose, sweet truffles; w/mocha; caramel; some branches-stems in there. Super rich and smooth and slippery mouthfeel. Really great without being over the top (even though it verges on that!).
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12/4/2004 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Heritage: Super rich and concentrated aromas of dark discreet berry/vanilla; bursting with ripe fruit/somewhat hot and lifting a’s in mth; smooth as velvet, concentrated berry/ripe cassis flavors; med. t’s, nice soft leather fin.
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11/25/2004 - jonphillips wrote: 95 Points
How can this be so much fun already?
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