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 — 16 days ago

Nick Jouras

9.4

Double magnum still has a lot of life left we sure enjoyed it with the crowd!! — 5 days ago

Ericsson

9.3

One of those surprisingly good wines. — a month ago

Brian Lenich

9.2

Jeff Mark Yaz and Brian — a month ago

Brad Jensen

9.2

Light to medium bodied wine, pale burgundy with amber hues to the edges. Barnyard funky nose, hay, muddy earth, with hints of black cherry, fermented black plum, and some velvety vanilla notes, maybe even some beach dried seaweed. Palate is VERY fruit forward, silky, with ripe fresh strawberry all over, some wild funkiness, slight brandy hints, with some angelfood cake crust like flavors, olive oil, black olives and tar, really complex, loooong and different. — 12 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

Austin Hohnke

9.1

Almond butter. — 5 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.0

Deep purple in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced intensity primary and secondary aromas of blackberries, dried herbs, and vanilla; on the palate, it's dry, with high acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, full body, and pronounced primary and secondary flavors of plum, baking spices, a hint of black pepper, and crushed gravel with a long finish. This wine is intense and balanced, but it's difficult to differentiate the flavors. Overall, I rate this wine as very good. — 14 days ago

Jeanette Bangs

9.2

Jammy! 🇮🇹 Yummy 😋 — 23 days ago

Tyler Felous

9.4

Took a flyer buying this from Benchmark. Bottle was in perfect condition, but sadly past its peak. Nose was outstanding - huge - chocolate, spice box. Had lost any acidity to balance the huge fruit. And at 17%, it kicked our ass. Would love to try a slightly younger rendition. — 2 months ago