Expect black currant, dark cherry, cedar, graphite, dried herb, and forest floor with full body, structured tannins, and bright acidity. Monte Bello traditionally shows more restraint and structure than typical Napa Cabs, with longer aging trajectories. The 2012 and 2013 vintages were both excellent in California.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Bordeaux blend (typically with Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc)
- Region
- USA / California / Santa Cruz Mountains
- Body
- Full
- Style
- dry red, traditional, structured, age-worthy, iconic
The producer
Ridge Vineyards' Monte Bello is grown on limestone-based soils high in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The wine famously placed second among Cabernets in the 1976 Judgment of Paris and won the 30-year retrospective in 2006. Paul Draper, longtime winemaker, established Monte Bello as one of the most age-worthy California wines.
What critics say
Monte Bello consistently receives scores in the high-90s from major critics and is regularly cited as one of California's most historically important and age-worthy wines.
Pairing
Herb-crusted rack of lamb, classic ribeye, aged hard cheeses