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Manage Subscriptions2001 Ridge Monte Bello
Red Bordeaux Blend
- USA
- California
- Santa Cruz Mountains
Community Tasting Notes 195
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warrenpeace wrote: 95 points
January 26, 2024 - 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
1 person found this helpful Comment -
Francophile1 Likes this wine:
January 1, 2024 - 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!
3 people found this helpful Comment -
familydoc Likes this wine: 97 points
September 30, 2023 - 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.3 people found this helpful Comment -
Michael Moore Likes this wine: 99 points
August 5, 2023 - Perfect. Drank side by side with a 2007 Scarecrow at Mission Ranch in Carmel. Toss up for WOTN.
3 people found this helpful Comment -
walkerjfw wrote: 97 points
May 22, 2023 - 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 bit3 people found this helpful Comment
Pro Reviews 9
Add a Pro ReviewDecanter
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By Stephen Brook
Ridge Monte Bello retrospective, 10/25/2022 (link)(Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text.
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By Stephen Brook
Ridge Monte Bello retrospective, 10/25/2022 (link)(Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text.
JancisRobinson.com
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By Jancis Robinson, MW
10/25/2022 (link)(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Vinous
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By Stephen Tanzer
Vintage Retrospective: The 2001 Napa Valley Cabernets (Jun 2020), 6/1/2020 (link)(Ridge Monte Bello Central Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text.
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By Antonio Galloni
Cellar Favorites: Seven Classics from Ridge (Jun 2017), 6/17/2017 (link)(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Central Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text.
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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.
JancisRobinson.com
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By Jancis Robinson, MW
2/13/2008 (link)(Ridge, Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Vinous
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By Stephen Tanzer
July/August 2004, IWC Issue #115 (link)(Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Red Blend) Subscribe to see review text.
RJonWine.com
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By Richard Jennings
6/20/2010 (link) 93 points(Ridge Monte Bello) Dark red violet color; tart plum, VA, black fruit, menthol nose; nice ripe black fruit, charcoal, blackberry, menthol palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. (40th anniversary vintage; 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot)
Wine Definition
- Vintage 2001
- Type Red
- Producer Ridge
- Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend
- Designation n/a
- Vineyard Monte Bello
- Country USA
- Region California
- SubRegion Santa Cruz Mountains
- Appellation Santa Cruz Mountains
- UPC Codes 185983000046, 4714127538976, 744442101009, 744442279012, 744442471003
Community Holdings
- Pending Delivery 30 (1%)
- In Cellars 2,971 (60%)
- Consumed 1,943 (39%)
Food Pairing
Community Recommendations
anything south of seafood but north of Thai, Red meat, SteakWho Likes This Wine
More About This Wine
Articles
- ProducerRidge
- VarietyRed Bordeaux Blend
- VineyardMonte Bello
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- AppellationSanta Cruz Mountains
Add Articles
- Wine2001 Ridge Monte Bello (add)
- FamilyRidge Monte Bello (add)
- ProducerRidge
- VarietalRed Bordeaux Blend
- VineyardMonte Bello
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- SubRegionSanta Cruz Mountains (add)
- AppellationSanta Cruz Mountains