Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2021 | dark colour, blackberry, plum, hint of violets. A rounded taste with spice. Beautiful balance. I like this wine that is a bit arrogant and playing hard to get. — 7 days ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.2

The 2022 release is a hit!
Deep purple color. Aromas of black cherry, cola, dried herbs and cedar. Black and blue fruit on the palate, herbs and oak on the finish.

🏅97 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
🏅94 Points - @Dr. Owen Bargreen — 15 days ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.2

Nose was shy, beautiful palate! See @Delectable Wine’s review. — a month ago

Chris Buggy

9.0

Ripe! Menthol on the nose, red fruit. Good acid, small tannins in the finish. — a month ago

with Jennifer

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2020 | Top notch Barbera with power as well as elegance, sweet spices in smell — 8 days ago

Daniel Ciolek

9.3

Perhaps the best Barbera I’ve tastes. Bright sweet floral on opening. Very nice on opening - amazing day 2. Big, complex, packed with layers of silky smooth flavors. Cheries, cinnamon, cocoa, fig, citrus, leather and soft clove on the finish. — 16 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Ridge – Monte Bello 2017
Santa Cruz Mountains – California, USA 🇺🇸
Blend: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Overview
One of California’s most legendary wines, Ridge Monte Bello has been estate-grown, produced, and bottled entirely in-house since the 1960s. The 2017 vintage reflects a Bordeaux-inspired blend from the cool Santa Cruz Mountains, offering both structure and elegance. (Educational note: Monte Bello’s higher-altitude vineyards give cooler temperatures, yielding more restrained, ageworthy wines compared to Napa Valley powerhouses.)

Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry, cassis, and red plum at the core, accented by cedar, graphite, and cocoa. Hints of tobacco, dried herbs, and floral notes bring depth and complexity.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with polished tannins and refreshing acidity. A graceful, layered wine that “dances on the palate,” finishing long and harmonious with both power and finesse.

Food Pairings
Perfect with grilled lamb, prime rib, or braised short ribs. Also pairs beautifully with mushroom risotto or aged cheeses.

Verdict
A benchmark California classic — Bordeaux in inspiration, but with a Santa Cruz identity all its own. The 2017 Monte Bello is elegant, expressive, and deeply satisfying. 🍷

Did You Know?
Ridge’s Monte Bello gained international fame in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting, where it ranked among the world’s top Cabernets, cementing California’s place on the fine wine map.

Collector’s Rarity 📌
Highly allocated and cellared by collectors worldwide, Ridge Monte Bello is a vertical-worthy wine with decades of aging potential. — a month ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.0

Deep ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with medium intensity primary and secondary aromas of cherries, raspberries, and graphite; on the palate, it's dry with high acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol, full body, and pronounced primary and secondary flavors of blackberries, tart cherries, and crushed gravel with a long finish. This wine is complex and intense, but with a little volatile acidity (which is ok if you like tart flavors). Overall, I rate this wine as very good. — 12 days ago

Nick Jouras

9.4

Double magnum still has a lot of life left we sure enjoyed it with the crowd!! — 4 days ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.0

Tasty Barbera. Perfect at the moment. — a month ago