Community Tasting Note

• Mark1npt Likes this wine: 98 points

  October 26, 2023 - Brought to tonight's dinner by Gabriel and very well appreciated. My first official 'bottle' of MB other than a small tasting at the winery some years ago.
  
  Some slight decant time by Gabriel before dinner but the nose at the table after the pnp was magical and it only kept improving over the 3 hours we sat there. It took the palate about an hour to match up with the nose given its youth. This one has decades ahead of it. There were times during the dinner that I thought I could taste each of the varietal components of this bottle until near the end where it all came together in a more seamless way. If you must pour these now give them every bit of 2-3 hours air to start. Much thanks Gabriel for bringing this to the table tonight!

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33 Comments

• Juliansi commented:

  10/26/23, 5:49 PM - Ridge Monte Bello is one of these legendary wines which opened my palate to the world of exquisite wines.. I think that was about 1.5 years ago, when I had my first, a 2012. Stunning nose and incredible mouthfeel.
  
  Glad you loved yours so much too, Mark1NPT.
  
  Do you think in my Jul 2024 Napa Valley trip (Yes, travelling over from Malaysia!) .. Is it worth the travel to Palo Alto to see the people at Monte Bello? Or just stick to Napa and Sonoma?
  
  All the best!

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/26/23, 5:56 PM - Julian.....let me know when you are going to Napa/Sonoma and I'll see if I can meet with you for a bottle one night! Fwiw, book a tasting at the Ridge room on the Sonoma side and tell them you want to taste the MBello. They have some vintages there for tastings and sale for certain people. It would be great if I could co-ordinate a trip out there while you will be there!

• LetItRide commented:

  10/26/23, 6:23 PM - Juliansi
  If at all possible DO try to book a tasting at the Monte Bello original winery that can for a nominally higher price include a walk through the old vines. The site is spectacular & picturesque.
  A visit will help reveal why Bordeaux varietal wines from the Santa Cruz mountains are so singular.
  My first visit their in 1986 was serendipitously a one on one with Paul Draper himself and a very welcoming four legged buddy of his 🐶

• Juliansi commented:

  10/26/23, 8:48 PM - Mark1NPT - Please add me on Whatsapp / tel, +6012 3833 125
  Look forward to meeting up if we have the chance, and can't wait for Summer 2024!!

• Juliansi commented:

  10/26/23, 8:50 PM - Letitride, thanks so much for the cool feedback - Lets see if I can convince the missus.
  
  I see its "only" a 2+ hour drive from Oakville.. to Palo Alto / Ridge!

• LetItRide commented:

  10/26/23, 9:12 PM - Yes indeed

• RayT commented:

  10/26/23, 9:14 PM - Mark thanks for the tasting note. I have been contemplating trying this wine. Based on your notes do you think it is better to buy an older vintage on the secondary market versus buying their latest vintage?

• GJVines commented:

  10/27/23, 4:09 AM - Mark, thanks for the note. I have 4 750's and a Mag of the 2013 in my cellar and have been contemplating opening one soon, so it's good to have some trusted input on that decision. Thanks again.

• zimmy07 commented:

  10/27/23, 7:31 AM - @RayT, I have over 100 bottles of Ridge MB and one of my favorite wines. 2013 is maybe the best MB ever, but it is so damn young. I know Mark1npt says opened for 3 hours, I decant for over 12 hours and still young. I would buy 2013 if you hold for 10-15 more years. The one real issue with MB, to get into the perfect zone takes 25-35 years and this is real. I will not even touch my 2000-2009 any time soon. The mid 1990's are firing now. Long way to say buy a early to mid 90's MB to drink now. Maybe a 2001 or 2002. I would get a 2013 but would not touch until 2033 min, so if you love collecting, I would do that. if patient that wine wil go down as one of the all time best wines and is easily the best MB ever

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/27/23, 8:04 AM - Julian, I've made note of it!

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/27/23, 8:07 AM - Ray, I had been looking to pick up a few older vintages as I know these need time, but I just haven't found what I'm looking for. Gabriel brought this one to dinner and it just blossomed over the 2-3 hours at the table. You can tell it's still young but for those who like young, it's quite beautiful and the nose is killer and remained killer all through the dinner.
  
  Nose: 98 at the pnp 99+ 3 hours later
  Palate: 94 at the pnp 98 3 hours later

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/27/23, 8:09 AM - GJ....thanks for your confidence. It is a really, really nice wine. I guess it could get 1-2 points better in coming years but it's so awfully good with air right now. It all depends on where you like to drink them? I have the same issues with true Bdx lovers who think it's sacrilegious to drink them so early, too! All depends on what you love in your wines. Remember: just because a wine is given 100 points, doesn't mean it's always going to drink at 100 points all along its lifespan. I know plenty of people and plenty of bottles consumed way past their optimal drink time that didn't score 100.

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/27/23, 8:13 AM - zimmy....you are hard core, dude!

• gteran76 commented:

  10/27/23, 9:08 AM - I liked VERY much everyone’s comments and Mark’s review. I also at the same score and will be posting my notes soon…
  
  Sorry about names but I’m by the beach now and I want to cover some questions/inputs, I’m sure you know who I’m referring to:
  
  Visiting Monte Bello, like Mark said, the facility in Sonoma is very pretty and have MBs as well. I’m a long time member, and visited both locations, when ready to go I can set you in free for up to 4 people. If you want to get some of their top wines I can also get a 20% discount.
  
  About the 2013s being the best MB ever I do agree. At this specific point it might be a tied with some of the great “matured” vintages (those in the ‘90s) but this one is definitely moving UP “if you can believe it”!!!
  
  Cheers!

• zimmy07 commented:

  10/27/23, 9:13 AM - I gave it 98 points as well and fully confident it wil be a 100pt is due time.

• RayT commented:

  10/27/23, 10:21 AM - Zimmy thanks for your input. Unfortunately i do not have 25-30 years so I will have to look for some older vintages on the secondary market. I drink mostly modern Napa wines but I do enjoy some old world bottles like Dominus, Insignia, Pahlmeyer. I typically hold those for at least 10 years but I have been collecting less than ten years so my oldest bottle is a 2009.i do love the 2013 vintage.

• zimmy07 commented:

  10/27/23, 10:33 AM - RayT, I love older wines, so I may be terrible at advice on age. As Mark1NPT showed, grab a 2013 and decant for 6 hours and let it rip. Because 2013 is so good the price on secondary market is so high compared to older Ridge MB. You can get a 95, a 97 or a 2001 and 2002 about the same or cheaper than a 2013. Many options

• RayT commented:

  10/27/23, 10:47 AM - Thanks again, Zimmy.

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/27/23, 12:19 PM - Much thanks to everyone on here....great thread!

• markydecker commented:

  10/27/23, 7:00 PM - I won’t bore anyone on this thread with anything other than my already posted perfect score. Mark and zimmy, we really need to get together and pop some MB corks! Cheers everyone

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/27/23, 7:44 PM - Man....that would be awesome!

• macaujames commented:

  10/28/23, 4:25 AM - Wow the elegant complex nicely minerally Monte Bello! Almost a perfect score! I tasted the Monte Bello 96 and 97 at The Decanter tasting in London about 20 years ago. I gave them both 96 and they were only 13% alcohol. This showed that California could do elegant, complex wines which could outclass Bordeaux in their Bordeauxness! I am tasting the Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial 2010 which at only 22 Euros is a masterclass in QPR. You should try it!

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/28/23, 4:48 AM - Thanks James! I'll look into it!

• Juliansi commented:

  10/29/23, 7:00 PM - zimmy07 Wow.. that's incredible. So many bottles of Ridge MB! Lucky you :-)
  
  Mark1NPT This is becoming a great repository of information on all things MB, well done. All the best...

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/29/23, 7:17 PM - CT is a great place for us wine junkies, Julian! Cheers!

• Juliansi commented:

  10/29/23, 8:05 PM - Thanks a lot Mark1NPT... this wine junkie had quite the Big Bordeaux weekend, with Palmer 82 v 99, as well as L'Evangile 01 and a Blanc Lynch-Bages :-)

• Juliansi commented:

  10/29/23, 8:05 PM - Thanks a lot Mark1NPT... this wine junkie had quite the Big Bordeaux weekend, with Palmer 82 v 99, as well as L'Evangile 01 and a Blanc Lynch-Bages :-)

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/29/23, 8:12 PM - Wow! Quit a nice weekend, Julian!

• Juliansi commented:

  10/29/23, 10:57 PM - Imagine that the "worst" wine of the bunch was a Lynch-Bages 2011 .. Not a bad evening right! Its all relative after all, Mark1NPT.
  
  Also had the chance to try my first ever Pavillon Rouge Margaux (2003 vintage), this was really good. Can't wait to try more in the future...

• Juliansi commented:

  10/29/23, 10:57 PM - Imagine that the "worst" wine of the bunch was a Lynch-Bages 2011 .. Not a bad evening right! Its all relative after all, Mark1NPT.
  
  Also had the chance to try my first ever Pavillon Rouge Margaux (2003 vintage), this was really good. Can't wait to try more in the future...

• Mark1npt commented:

  10/30/23, 7:25 AM - Fantastic, Julian! I've not had the Pavillon either, but it must be good!

• wchrisw commented:

  11/6/23, 7:19 PM - Don’t forget Ridge Estate Cabernet “ baby Bello”. Much, much cheaper and you don’t have to age it 20+ years. Not as otherworldly but still quite a good alternative. I don’t want to buy wines anymore that will outlive me.
  
  And MB does need a lengthy decant. Open the evening prior or morning you plan to consume.

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/6/23, 8:25 PM - chris, I'll need to try one!

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