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. — 2 months ago

Sam Rubin

9.6

Very complex strong Pinot noir. Antonio’s 60th in Nantucket!!! — 3 months ago

Norman

9.5

Winemaker dinner at Nari. Fabulous and if not tied for WOTN it might win in some cases. — 3 months ago

Brian Hearty

9.3

2021. Drove to Omaha to attend an Arnot-Roberts wine class and tasting, and got there early to enjoy some delicious oysters with a bottle of fantastic Chardonnay that wasn’t on the tasting list. Unfortunately, Nathan Roberts flights were delayed and the class was cancelled, but we’re going home with a bunch of tasty wines instead! — 5 months ago

Bill Mowry

8.9

Vanilla nose with some acid and minerality. Lemon and citrus flavors paired well with salmon. — 6 months ago

with Cristian, Lou and 1 other

Todd Anderson

9.3

This is drinking really nice right now. Great mature fruit. Drink while it's at peak. Very nice upside surprise on a regional (vs vineyard) designated wine. Prost! — 10 months ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.2

Nose was shy, beautiful palate! See @Delectable Wine’s review. — 2 months ago

AJ Gubser

8.9

Black currants, sweet oaky spices, cigar, coconut cream. Ripe, dark fruits, oaky spice (nutmeg, cinnamon), mild acidity, firm but smooth tannins. Some lingering grape candy.

A nice, affordable steak wine. — 3 months ago

Pooneet K

9.0

Not as good as the bottle we had 2 years ago. All of the great lemon peel and minerality and texture and acid are still there - but this is oddly lacking on the mid palate, so you get a nice entry and exit but not a lot of meat in the middle. — 3 months ago

Ed Chin

9.2

The softness reminded me of a cool location something like the north coast. — 4 months ago

Kamall

8.9

Dark and spicy — 5 months ago

Mary H

9.0

Well-made single varietal cabernet grown near Monte Bello. Smooth blackberry and graphite. Round and medium weight mouthfeel. Less complexity given the single varietal but made with finesse. — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Consistent throughout. The 2023 “Contra Costa County” pours, a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe mixed bramble fruit: blackberries, Marionberries, raspberries, black pepper, orange zest, menthol, and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose where the orange citrus notes show a bit more prominently. The finish is medium+, bright and refreshing. 9 barrels produced. Drink now through 2038.  — 8 months ago

Todd Anderson

9.2

Lovely delicate fruit balanced with some complexity. In a good drinking window. Paired well with grilled salmon for dinner — 3 months ago

J Choi

9.0

Over the hill — 5 months ago

Matt Perlman

9.1

Decent but could use a little more oomph — 3 months ago

Norman

9.2

Winemaker dinner at Nari. This was clearly young and tasted next to the 2011 missing the depth of maturity — 3 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

9.2

A big wine in a big bottle that made a big group of friends very happy. The 2017 Evangelho Heritage (from magnum) is energetic with loads of sweet dark fruit. It doesn’t lack zing even though this year’s blend is short in Carignan — there are nice balancing acids and mild tannins. It is richer and riper than many vintages but still vibrant. — 6 months ago

Brian S

9.7

Perfection, even in a bad glass. — 8 months ago

Emily Chen

9.0

Similar to a cab sauv — strong aroma but not too strong on the palette. Not oaky which is great! Dad likes this one a lot. — 10 months ago