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

J Choi

9.0

Over the hill — 5 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. — 4 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

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

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.2

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

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Light lemon color with aromas of citrus, tropical fruits and floral notes. On the palate flavors of grapefruit, green apple and pear fruit flavors, slight grassy tones, lively acidity. Medium+ finish ending with fruit, herbal, floral, citrus and mineral notes. Do not over chill so you can experience all of the nuances while you sip this fine wine. Nice, consistent. — 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

Norman

9.2

Winemaker dinner at Nari. This was clearly young and tasted next to the 2011 missing the depth of maturity — 4 months ago

Kirsten Beverly

9.5

Smooth but welcomed acidic. Triangular. Stone fruit - more-so peach. Peppery with a hint of smoke on very end. Doesn’t overstay its welcome. If it was sweet it would a dessert. — 4 months ago

Jake Hajer

9.2

Cranberry, strawberry, sassafras. Chocolate cupcake. High toned. Light bodied. Easy to drink. With depth and character. Very good! — 6 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

Elmars

9.0

This wine is of exceptional quality. While it may have been slightly premature to consume (released in 2021), it exhibited pronounced tannic characteristics. — 2 months ago

Boris Mathiszik

8.9

For hot climates, like here on the Outer Banks, I love chilled Pinot Noir for all day drinking. This Marlborough Pinot has the right acidity to stand up to the spices and heat of the NC summer. — 3 months ago

Matt Perlman

9.1

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

Louis Martin

9.2

Stone fruit aroma, lemon zest flavor, medium body, rich mouthfeel, paired beautifully with a slightly charred cod dish. — 4 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

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Light ruby color with a garnet rim. Bright aromas of red berries, violets, rose petals, geraniums and forest floor. Ripe red cherry, strawberry, cranberry and boysenberry fruit flavors with additional notes of mushrooms, Earl Grey tea, sweet spices and dark chocolate. Pleasant hint of toasted oak on the long and linear finish. Well balanced with very fine tannins. Medium-plus body and nice density. Quite good. — 6 months ago