Monte Bello
2019 · Cabernet Sauvignon
750ml · 13.5% ABV
Ridge's Monte Bello is one of California's most celebrated and age-worthy wines — a Bordeaux-style blend from the estate's high-elevation Monte Bello vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The 2019 vintage is a benchmark expression of the site: deeply concentrated, structurally impeccable, and built for decades of cellaring.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
Deep ruby-garnet with a narrow, bright rim and excellent clarity.
Nose
Profound and complex: dark cherry, blackcurrant, and plum lead, with notes of cedar, graphite, dried herbs, and a whisper of iron-rich earth. The nose is restrained and aristocratic, revealing layers with time in the glass.
Palate
Full-bodied and architecturally precise, with silky tannins that are firm but never harsh. Flavors of black cherry, cassis, dark chocolate, and tobacco are framed by bright, natural acidity. The mid-palate is dense and layered, with a long, mineral-driven finish.
Finish
Extraordinarily long and persistent, with lingering notes of cedar, dark fruit, and mountain herb. The finish evolves for minutes after the last sip.
Food Pairings
Critical Acclaim
James Suckling
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Production Notes
Vineyard Source: Monte Bello estate vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains, 2,300–2,600 ft elevation
Aging: 22 months in French oak (60% new)
Approximately 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Aged 22 months in 60% new French oak. Unfined and unfiltered.
More from Ridge Vineyards
View All
About the Winery
Ridge Vineyards
Cupertino, Santa Cruz Mountains
Founded in 1959 on the Monte Bello ridge above Silicon Valley, Ridge Vineyards is one of California's most storied and celebrated estates. Its Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon — a wine that competed with and often surpassed the world's finest Bordeaux in the 1976 Paris Tasting and its 2006 rematch — is a global benchmark for California Cabernet. Ridge also produces legendary single-vineyard Zinfandels from old-vine California heritage sites.
Service Guide
Serving Temperature
60–65°F (16–18°C)
Decanting
Decant 30–60 minutes before serving to allow the wine to open up.
