Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), Merlot (19%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Petite Verdot (3%). Dark garnet/ruby/purple/black color. Aromas of ripe black fruit, rose petals, cigar box and smoked meat. Flavors of blackberry, black currant and black plum fruit with additional hints of tobacco, black olives and cloves. Long lasting velvety finish. Full bodied with noticeable (but well integrated) tannins. Beautiful freshness. Rich and powerful but so well balanced. Consistently Outstanding vintage after vintage. Could continue to age for decades! — 4 days ago

Colin Cahoon

9.4

Inky dark color. Tomato leaf, coffee, and mint on the nose. More pyrazine notes on the palate along with cocoa, cranberry, leather, black pepper, molasses, raisins, coffee, tobacco, and dark cherry. High acid, high alcohol, medium plus tannins, medium plus body, and long finish. Despite all the tertiary notes, drinks vibrant and fresh. Drink now or hold. — 6 months ago

Adam Kincaid

9.6

Was handed a glass of this and without even knowing anything was incredibly impressed. Thought it to be a French wine too, had no inkling it was Napa Cab. Beautiful purple colors that showcases a robust and complex bouquet of blackberries, dark cherry, tobacco, and chocolate. Has some spices too but they are pinned back by the fruit. Medium tannins with medium+ acids, super smooth and well balanced. Vanilla cola, cedar, black currants and more tobacco and chocolate give it a robust and lively blend. Great finish! — 9 months ago

Paige Donnell

9.3

Favorite light red! — 2 months ago

Per

8.9

Velvety red with nicely balanced strawberry, blackberry, and peach flavors. A great wine to drink on its own.  — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.7

Of all the American red wines that participated in the Judgement of Paris, it could be argued that Monte Bello has shown the greatest propensity to age. In fact, I would go as far as it requires lengthy cellaring to extract its best. I’ve had the good fortune to drink a number of tremendous vintages of Monte Bello over the last several years and this one has got to be at or near the top of the lot.

Opened and poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1991 Monte Bello pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core moving out towards a light ruby rim; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing (still!) with gorgeous notes of ripe and tart black currants, mixed bramble fruit, tobacco, some purple flowers, dill, mint, leather, earth, vanilla and associated baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. The structure remains tremendous which again, seems to indicate youth. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is super long and immensely satisfying. This is one of those wines that will outlive most humans. Drinking well now with a short decant but this has the gas to see 2061 with ease. — 8 months ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Inky in color with a short purple rim.

Strong nose and full bodied with medium minus acidity.

Showing blackberries, sweet plums, cooked cherries, chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, licorice, light cedar, vanilla and spices.

This 9 year old Petite Sirah from California is still drinking nicely and good right out of the bottle.

Extracted and very fruity, with some RS on the palate. In your face kind of wine.

Showing nice complexity at this point. Rich with lots of chocolate notes.

A nice sipping wine and good for parties.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$75. — 22 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Mostly Petite Sirah with small amounts of Syrah, Grenache and other mixed Rhône varieties, aged 14 months in American oak, 19% new, very dark Ruby-purple with aromas of ripe dark fruits and an array of spices from cigar box to full spice cake. On the palate flavors of black cherry preserves and blackberry jam, layering in some licorice, leather, tobacco and black pepper spice. Savory grippy tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice, oak and earthy character. A powerhouse! Decant first! — 7 months ago

Chris Kurtz

9.1

Enjoyed with friends during pre-concert festivities. — 10 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Traditional Bordeaux style blend. Dark ruby/purple color. Aromas of blackberry jam, violets and toasted bread. Palate is full of jammy black currant/berry flavors with additional notes of dark chocolate, black cherry, blueberry, graphite and baking spices. Full bodied and juicy. Not overly complex but very well made. A bit more bottle age is necessary for the wine to calm down a bit. Thanks for sharing, Ron B! — a year ago