Scott E. Becker

9.3

[Tasted on January 25, 2025 at Home with Tom, Kathy, Mark and Lucille]

84% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5.5% Merlot; 5.5% Cabernet Franc; 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Blackberry and black currant fruit, with chocolate, espresso, earth and a mineral note. Nicely balanced. — a month ago

Tom Garland

9.5

It's Open That Bottle Night(last Sat in Feb), and thought this would be a nice pull to celebrate the occasion.

1 hour decant(decent sediment). A striking still dark garnet with some bricking. On the nose: perfumed stewed cherry/plum, smoked meat, worn leather, cigar ash,milk chocolate, rich soil, some band-aid(brett) Taste: smooth, polished, vibrant wine with plum, tobacco, bitter chocolate, worn leather, earth, and a long graphite coffee ground finish. YUM!!!! — 13 hours ago

with Brenda

Mark S.

9.0

After one hour, vanilla, black currant.blue and black berries. Red flower. Juicy. Concentration. Sweet with elegancy Caymus 21 @, 240118 — a month ago

Ericsson

9.2

This wine needs time. Time in the bottle, in a decanter, or time in the glass at the very least (it gets more approachable by the minute, trust me). This is big, bold and bountiful; with the fruit, the body, the tannins and even the finish. Just pair with something just as big. — a month ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Flight 2 , wine 1 . Quite deep garnet , less terracotta rim . This had a whiff of oxidation about it at first which seemed to somewhat dissipate with time . Some dark spiced fruits , liquorice and menthol hints , cedar and sous bois . On the palate good ripeness and spiced dark cherry hints . Good acidity and rounded tannin . Nice length also , offering some spiced black fruits and menthol hints . Don’t think this is a pristine bottle but was enjoyable none the less , I was unsure at first if this was Napa , but coming back to it … and reading my notes , it became quite obvious . However I had this down as the Ch Montelena , not the Dominus — 2 days ago

Arturo Kassel

9.3

Been sitting on it for a decade and boy was it worth the wait. It’s everything I’d want in a St. Julien Bordeaux. Silky tannins, elegant mouthfeel, great balance of red fruit and earthy undertones. Sadly, that was my last one. — 7 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Blend 95% Cabernet Sauv, 2% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, splash of Malbec, more cab heavy than prior vintages, deep Ruby, aromas of ripe black and red fruits with floral and earthy notes. On the palate flavors of cherry, blackberry, currants and licorice with vanilla, cacao, cedar and savory herbs. Long finish, well balanced, full tight rich tannins ending with fruit, cedar and earthy character. Nice! — 20 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, and half a % each of Malbec and Merlot, aged 15 months in 33% new French oak, 51% of fruit from Atlas Peak District, deep Ruby with aromas of vibrant dark fruit, sweet spice and herbs. On the palate flavors of cherry and blackberry with tobacco spice, toasty oak, cinnamon and floral notes. Fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice, cedar, mocha and mineral character, Nice, should age well. — 13 days ago

Andrea Watt

9.5

I love this wine. Crisp citrus and oak with round pear and vanilla. Holds up well to food but enjoyable on its own. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.7

Of all the American red wines that participated in the Judgement of Paris, it could be argued that Monte Bello has shown the greatest propensity to age. In fact, I would go as far as it requires lengthy cellaring to extract its best. I’ve had the good fortune to drink a number of tremendous vintages of Monte Bello over the last several years and this one has got to be at or near the top of the lot.

Opened and poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1991 Monte Bello pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core moving out towards a light ruby rim; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing (still!) with gorgeous notes of ripe and tart black currants, mixed bramble fruit, tobacco, some purple flowers, dill, mint, leather, earth, vanilla and associated baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. The structure remains tremendous which again, seems to indicate youth. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is super long and immensely satisfying. This is one of those wines that will outlive most humans. Drinking well now with a short decant but this has the gas to see 2061 with ease. — a month ago