At 30+ years, expect a fully mature profile of dried blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, leather, dried herb, and forest floor with refined, integrated tannins. Monte Bello traditionally shows more restraint and structure than typical Napa Cabs, with longer aging trajectories.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Bordeaux blend (typically Cab Sauvignon with Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc; exact composition varies by vintage)
- Region
- USA / California / Santa Cruz Mountains
- Body
- Full
- Style
- dry red, age-worthy, traditional, mountain fruit
The producer
Monte Bello is Ridge Vineyards' flagship Bordeaux blend, 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 is consistently rated among the very top California wines; the 1994 vintage was excellent in California and Monte Bello bottlings from this vintage have aged very well.
Pairing
Herb-crusted rack of lamb, classic ribeye, aged hard cheeses