Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

9.467 ratings
9.423 pro ratings
Santa Cruz Mountains, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot
Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Pasta, Venison, Tomato-Based, Potato, Pork, Chocolate & Caramel, White Rice, Mushrooms, Beef, Lamb, Chili & Hot Spicy, Salami & Prosciutto, Exotic Spices, Baking Spices, Herbs, Chicken, Pungent Cheese, Turkey, Soft Cheese, Beans & Peas, Hard Cheese, Duck, Blue Cheese, Onion
Top Notes For
Chris McClellan

Absolutely incredible..well integrated tannins..blackberry/blackcherry/plum, ripe, leather, anise, mint, green herbs..spice, dill weed, vanilla..very long finish with incredible fruit..delicious..paired with filet/ribeye..

Absolutely incredible..well integrated tannins..blackberry/blackcherry/plum, ripe, leather, anise, mint, green herbs..spice, dill weed, vanilla..very long finish with incredible fruit..delicious..paired with filet/ribeye..

Jan 4th, 2021
Mike Saviage

PnP as a night cap. Dark brooding purple. Not showing much age in the glass. Rich fruit nose. Notes of black fruit, plums, rustic leather, herbs, and some oak. Cool embrace in the mouth. Silky. Went too fast to see what more air did for it.

PnP as a night cap. Dark brooding purple. Not showing much age in the glass. Rich fruit nose. Notes of black fruit, plums, rustic leather, herbs, and some oak. Cool embrace in the mouth. Silky. Went too fast to see what more air did for it.

Jun 28th, 2019
Geoff Troup

Sales Eder Brothers, Cellar Fine Wines

9.8

Now that I've spent some time with this wine...I'm so enraptured by it. Absolutely the height of what California wine can do. Graphite, mint, herbaceous, mulling spices, anise, licorice. Tannins still incredibly powerful. Linear on the palate, giving a complete and unique vision. I simply cannot imagine a better wine.

Now that I've spent some time with this wine...I'm so enraptured by it. Absolutely the height of what California wine can do. Graphite, mint, herbaceous, mulling spices, anise, licorice. Tannins still incredibly powerful. Linear on the palate, giving a complete and unique vision. I simply cannot imagine a better wine.

Aug 18th, 2017
Geoff Troup

Sales Eder Brothers, Cellar Fine Wines

9.6

The best of the vertical. Tannins still gripping the back end, mint, forest floor. Tremendous elegance with a youthful ferocity remaining. Just amazing.

The best of the vertical. Tannins still gripping the back end, mint, forest floor. Tremendous elegance with a youthful ferocity remaining. Just amazing.

Aug 15th, 2017
Boxer Briefs

Mag, amazing #wine, one of world's best (?), cellar till 2025?, dusty, baby, elegance in bottle (tasting notes)

Mag, amazing #wine, one of world's best (?), cellar till 2025?, dusty, baby, elegance in bottle (tasting notes)

3 people found it helpfulSep 7th, 2014
Leslie Bartos

2005 vintage Ridge Monte Bello on 1/09/16 WOTN in Left Bank vs California lineup.

2005 vintage Ridge Monte Bello on 1/09/16 WOTN in Left Bank vs California lineup.

1 person found it helpfulJan 12th, 2016
Mike Saviage

Ridge Wine Dinner. Almost opaque. Flamboyant nose with notes of black cherry, blueberry, light smoke and walnuts. Still primary. Great finish with perfect balance of fruit, structure and acidity. For me this was the best of the 95/05/12 MB lineup. Needs time.

Ridge Wine Dinner. Almost opaque. Flamboyant nose with notes of black cherry, blueberry, light smoke and walnuts. Still primary. Great finish with perfect balance of fruit, structure and acidity. For me this was the best of the 95/05/12 MB lineup. Needs time.

Feb 24th, 2017
Bradley Brown

Owner/Winemaker Big Basin Vineyards

9.8

Spellbinding, many dimensions, intensity of '05

Spellbinding, many dimensions, intensity of '05

Feb 13th, 2016
Nathaniel DiMaggio

Not bad. Great acid decent fruit. Lacks a great mid palate and has way too many pencil shavings for my taste.

Not bad. Great acid decent fruit. Lacks a great mid palate and has way too many pencil shavings for my taste.

Feb 9th, 2016
Caleb Mosley

Very fun moment in time to taste this vintage 10 years after the grapes were picked. The fine tannins are starting to soften as are the acid and fruit into something even more complex. A snapshot in the evolution of an amazing wine. When to open the next bottle is the real question...

Very fun moment in time to taste this vintage 10 years after the grapes were picked. The fine tannins are starting to soften as are the acid and fruit into something even more complex. A snapshot in the evolution of an amazing wine. When to open the next bottle is the real question...

Dec 13th, 2015