Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews. Learn more.
Manage Subscriptions2014 Ridge Monte Bello
Red Bordeaux Blend
- USA
- California
- San Francisco Bay
- Santa Cruz Mountains
Community Tasting Notes 49
-
cclearningwine wrote: 95 points
November 2, 2019 - Most beautiful dark holiday ruby color. Lots of deep, rich berry on the nose like black cherry, boysenberry, blueberry. The aromatics and spice continue to open with time. A full bodied cabernet on palette. Tasting notes of berry, faint mushroom and hints of minerality on finish. Balanced and polished. And, likely to get better over time.
3 people found this helpful Comment -
porkandsalmon Likes this wine:
April 4, 2019 - Young, vibrant and tannic but too early to judge!
2 people found this helpful Comment -
Collector1855 wrote: 95 points
February 14, 2019 - During a Calif CabSav tasting. Confirmed my impression from a recent tasting. 13.5% Alc. the lowest in the evening. More elegant, cooler than the others, lots of cassis in the nose. I think the balance is good here but I would not open before this has 10 years of bottle age, ie 2026.
5 people found this helpful Comment -
srh Likes this wine:
January 19, 2019 - Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 4 *shared* bottles] from 01/18/19 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): José, as I'd never tried a Monte Bello, doble gracias for looking out for us today! :)
75% C.S., 18% Merlot, 5% C.F., & 2% Petit Verdot from their driest vintage in 52 yrs of making this! Harvested 9/2–24/14 @ 25.2˚ ave Brix; "Grapes destemmed, 100% whole berries. Automated berry sorting followed by hand sorting. Fermented on the native yeasts. Pressed at ten days. Natural malolactic." Aged 17 mos in "100% new air-dried oak (97% AM, 2% FR, & 1% Hungarian);"
N: *Fragrantly* INTENSE, packed with aromas, but... unparsable :(
P: LM body; LOVELY, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within the context of the frt as it evolves into a very LONG, *impeccably* BALANCED finish with SUCH an enticing tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins that makes it hard to resist NOW, though it surely DESERVES through '21 (min), then making its 15th... easily. Would seem to have it A-L-L ! 13.5% ABV; My Exceptional! In addition to Ridge's site (with numerous + reviews): On 10/10/17 91pts Decanter's PANEL, 95 RJonWine, & 18/20 (cask) Jancis Robinson3 people found this helpful Comment -
JayDubz Likes this wine: 94 points
January 13, 2019 - I'll start off by saying we had this under almost the same conditions as last year's 2013 and it isn't as good. 2013 was a transcendental experience and so good I'm still not sure its classifiable as wine - this is really excellent but is demoted to being wine.
It sits perfectly in the glass. Pitch black and strong, opaque and mature. Vibrant in its blackness. Everything about it screams quality.
On the nose, I would agree that it is quite young but more than drinkable. Smells of oak and violet (perfume violets rather than Parma Violets). The petit verdot comes through extraordinarily strong considering its the smallest percentage of the blend. Touch of eucalyptus but I reckon that might actually be best described as more of a herbal sage or maybe under ripe blackberries.
There is a rich juiciness there too which is deceptive due to the dominance of the oaken violets.
Initially quite standard on first taste - tons of chewy tannins with a chalkiness, the oak not too dominant as it is on the nose.
Mid palate is quite sherberty.
Finish is a great sour black cherry, really long lasting herby and fruity.
Don't serve it too cold.
Its true that it isn't complex yet. It could become a bit of a leathery beast but I'm also sure that there doesn't need to be a lot of theatrics if you open this a little early. Drink and enjoy because it isn't a 2013, that much is abundantly clear.3 people found this helpful Comments (1)
Pro Reviews 11
Add a Pro ReviewJebDunnuck.com
-
By Jeb Dunnuck
Brilliance From Sonoma, 6/5/2018 (link)(Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello) Subscribe to see review text.
JancisRobinson.com
-
By Jancis Robinson
1/29/2018 (link)(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Decanter
-
By Panel Tasting
California Cabernet 2014 PT April 2018, 10/10/2017 (link)(Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text.
JebDunnuck.com
-
By Jeb Dunnuck
California, Santa Cruz Mountains: The High Quality, yet Tiny Production 2015s, 8/24/2017 (link)(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello) Subscribe to see review text.
Vinous
-
By Antonio Galloni
Santa Cruz Mountains – The 2015s and 2014s (Aug 2017), 8/1/2017 (link)(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Central Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Decanter
-
By William Kelley
2014 California Cabernet Sauvignon & Bordeaux blends, 5/31/2017 (link)(Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Vinous
-
By Antonio Galloni
Brilliance in the Santa Cruz Mountains (Jul 2016), 7/1/2016 (link)(Ridge Monte Bello Central Coast) Subscribe to see review text.
-
By Antonio Galloni
Ridge Monte Bello: Past, Present and Future (Jul 2015), 7/1/2015 (link)(Ridge Monte Bello Central Coast) Subscribe to see review text.
-
By Antonio Galloni
Santa Cruz Mountains: Scaling the Heights (Jul 2015), 7/1/2015 (link)(Ridge Monte Bello Central Coast) Subscribe to see review text.
JancisRobinson.com
-
By Jancis Robinson, MW
2/25/2015 (link)(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text.
RJonWine.com
-
By Richard Jennings
3/12/2017 (link) 95 points(Ridge Monte Bello) Saturated, very dark red violet color; aromatic, cassis, tart red currant, toast, cedar nose; plush, velvety textured, delicious, cassis, tart red currant, toast, cedar, light green olive palate with good balancing acidity; medium-plus finish (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot; 13.5% alcohol)
Wine Definition
- Vintage 2014
- Type Red
- Producer Ridge
- Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend
- Designation n/a
- Vineyard Monte Bello
- Country USA
- Region California
- SubRegion San Francisco Bay
- Appellation Santa Cruz Mountains
- UPC Codes 000004375616, 086891077437, 4714127538976, 744442111008, 744442301003
Community Holdings
- Pending Delivery 239 (4%)
- In Cellars 6,089 (90%)
- Consumed 409 (6%)
Food Pairing
Community Recommendations
with friends who like good wineWho Likes This Wine
More About This Wine
Articles
- Wine2014 Ridge Monte Bello
- ProducerRidge
- VarietyRed Bordeaux Blend
- VineyardMonte Bello
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- AppellationSanta Cruz Mountains
Add Articles
- Wine2014 Ridge Monte Bello
- FamilyRidge Monte Bello (add)
- ProducerRidge
- VarietalRed Bordeaux Blend
- VineyardMonte Bello
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- SubRegionSan Francisco Bay (add)
- AppellationSanta Cruz Mountains