Don Taylor

8.9

Surprisingly smooth and mellow. It’s nice for a blend and would buy again. Plus I like bourbon. — a month ago

Stuart Pollack

9.4

Smooth and elegant, but a little sweet for my taste. Classic California Cabernet Sauvignon. Very strong blueberry and blackberry flavors. This wine has a number of years left to age but is ready to drink now. A well-made wine. An outstanding value at $42. — 6 months ago

Kath Rt

9.2

super deiiiiii💕 — 3 years ago

michael pandolfo

9.0

Very well done. Although a big wine, not overpowering. Sweet, smoky blueberries with a wild touch. Nice savory notes. Young now but has great potential. — 2 months ago

Eric Urbani

9.6

A tasting of six Spatslese Rieslings from Wehlener Sonnenhur, 2008-2019. This was my #1 and the group’s #2. ABV 8.5%. — 6 months ago

Anja Ritchie

9.0

2017; Heavy oak after a light summer peachy vanilla flavor — 3 years ago

Matthew Bull

9.2

Don’t stop now....my word. Parker was right. It drinks beautifully early. Wow. — 3 years ago

Anders Berglund

8.9

Fruktig med fat karaktär. Smak av svarta vinbär och mörk choklad — 4 months ago

Kathryn McCarty

9.2

A wonderful Beaujolais wine! Unique! — 6 months ago

Carter Pelham

9.7

Shared with close friends - everyone’s first Monte Bello, and a great one at that.

Took this bottle out to share at a local fine dining establishment, to pour it blind for our friends. Wrapped neatly in foil. We get seated and explain to our waiter. “The bottle MAY be a little bit older so take care with the cork,” I said, not wanting to give away the age to our friends. He proceeds to break the cork about halfway down, right through. No big deal. He’s a younger guy and I think a little flustered, he goes off to get assistance.

Comes back with another server. As the guy walks back up, I say “Thanks for helping us with our mystery bottle”, clueing him in on the idea that there’s a reason that we have it wrapped in foil. “Would have been nice to know it was an older vintage wine,” he replied brusquely. Ok… Server 2 digs around for a bit with an ah-so before punching the cork into the drink. Oh well. None of us are really phased by this, it happens.

They grab a strainer from the bar. Server 2 starts pouring at a decanter and immediately the first glass or so just goes everywhere on the table. I start to die inside. He remains silent. Gets on target with the rest of the bottle, finishing pouring, and says “Your 2004 Ridge Cabernet”, purposefully ruining the blind tasting, I guess. Walks away without another word, leaving his mortified coworker to clean up his mess and apologize.

This actually happened. On to the wine:

Beautiful medium opacity ruby with no browning.

Smells like a Pauillac on the nose. Blackcurrants, blackberry, black licorice, slight graphite, and damp tobacco. As the night goes on it reveals dill, vanilla, buttered toast, and slight dry woodsy notes.

The wine is surprisingly light in body, very much a claret. The tannins are silky, finely woven, and extremely integrated. The main thing we notice on the palate is that the wine is so perfectly integrated it is a little difficult to pull individual notes out of it. Expansive over the palate without being weighty. The finish is forever.

A memorable evening. — 3 years ago

with Linh and Sarah