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 — 2 days ago

Nagib Nasr

9.3

Incredible — 13 days ago

K. Ross

9.0

14.8% abv. Beautiful wine. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.1

This bottle was opened several hours prior to service and enjoyed over the course of four days. Best on Day 4. The 2022 Peterson Family Vineyard pours, an inky purple color with an opaque core, moving towards a magenta rim; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of black cherry, black plum, lavender pastels, smoked meat, dry earth, Madagascar vanilla and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and silky. The alcohol is high…but remarkably in balance. Still, this is an enormous wine and while it’s really well made, it’s something I wouldn’t be able to drink often. Drink now through 2042. — 3 months ago

Pooneet K

9.2

Thought we’d had our last bottle 4 years ago but then found this one. Probably better then, but still very nice. Definitely quite secondary, but the core of fruit and acid carries through. Wonderful pairing with dry aged strip steaks and wild mushroom risotto for our 10 year anniversary. — 12 days ago

Mary Ellen Bonisteel

9.5

Great wine!! — a month ago

Scott Soren

9.8

Big bouquet on the nose. Luscious mouth feel enveloping all the senses.dark cherry with a hint of molasses. The wine lingered on the throat for 45 seconds. Absolute over performer.  — 2 months 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. — 15 days ago

Colleen Tomasello

9.4

One of the best zinfindel’s, dry, full bodied and a great nose, thoroughly enjoyed the complex notes in this one. 2017 is a good year right now. Aged nicely, but would love to have a few more to see how well they do in the next year or so — 2 months ago

Charlie Tapp

9.7

Exceptionally vibrant 18 years later.

My favorite zinfandel on the planet. — 3 months ago