Guillermo Camacho

9.2

Wine held up extremely well for age, maintained concentration but still complexified. Dark blue/red fruit, spice box, and chocolate on the nose. An ensemble of fruit on the palate with an amazing acidity that continued to tease out nuances. Extra .1 for showing it’s ability to age gracefully. — 7 years ago

Steve McDermott

9.3

Old world earthiness. Red fruit, strawberry notes. A bit of cigar box and leather. Nice finish. Nice #rioja ! Thanks @John Pica — 8 years ago

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

9.2

Lovely secondary elements of sweaty saddle leather, cedar and later some cigar box. Soft, integrated tannins. Long finish and very nice nose. — 9 years ago

Holly Orchard

Certified Sommelier, President of Savvy Cellar Wines Inc.

9.0

Surprisingly good- 13.9% but feels a little hotter. The tannins are noticeable but not too bold.This is classic California cabernet, but time has allowed it to become more integrated and balanced- notes of ripe dark fruits, boysenberry, cassis, plum, cedar, violets, cedar box, and unfortunately a touch of "steminess". Not a fantastic wine, but a really solid domestic classic, which went great with our beef filets and creamed kale. — 10 years ago

Lisa Burch

9.0

Tasty and inexpensive. — 11 years ago

Red Wine Lovers

9.6

Cigar box cedar. Slate. Plum. Big tannins, lush plump fruit. Deep and complex. Finish goes forever. — 12 years ago

Matt McMonagle

9.0

Great value. Really really drinkable. — 7 years ago

Chad Brewer

10

Without a doubt the wine of my life. Elegant, dried cranberries, cigar box, beechnut tobacco, great texture. A truly magnificent bottle. 1/100 that would be perfect. — 8 years ago

Laura Diefenderfer

9.0

Great taste. Not dry. Smooth with a hint of blackberry. Ideally paired with a medium rare steak. — 8 years ago

Phil Orlandini

9.1

This... doesn't make me feel drunk. This is gonna be my workin' wine. — 9 years ago

with Juliane

PJ

9.5

Great way to warm up on a 20 degree night! 🍷 — 10 years ago

Lisa Kinser

10

Great with Thanksgiving dinner! — 11 years ago

Becky Larson

8.9

Black box merlot !! Yummy — 12 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

This wine had some tobacco and earth FUNK after it was opened up. The herbaceous and tobacco ash note on the nose was almost identical to the 1980 Beringer State Lane cab. This did blow off after an hour, but the wine was less fruit than I thought it would have been. Lots of dark figgy jam. Tobacco and cigar box. I'm sure the fruit came back after I left, but this would have been 2 hours after opening and just didn't have the time to see this one though, hence the "NR" rating. Impressed by this wine, and probably one of the older Monte Bello wines I've been able to drink. — 8 years ago

with Benjamin

John Hubbell

9.4

Love the he nose. Great balance with leather, spice and cigar box. This sill has some life — 8 years ago

with Jim, Allison and 1 other

Weijie Shi (Jay)

9.0

Black fruits, cedar box, liquorice, cigar box, menthol. Huge structure, chewy tannin, slightly green on the palate, 30s finish. Need more time. 2012 vintage — 9 years ago

Juan Munoz-Oca

8.9

Cigar box, a bit reduced at first but opens up to lovely dry fruits — 10 years ago

Sean Fischa

9.1

My new house wine — 10 years ago

Liz Weidner

9.9

Delicious but $16. — 12 years ago

Rachel Hughes

9.0

Shiraz (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%), Merlot (7%)
2009
Padthaway, Australia — 12 years ago