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  • Country ranking ?

    416
  • Producer ranking ?

    25
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    Now-2030
  • Food Pairing

    Grilled Rib-Eye, Roasted Venison & Hard cheeses

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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The Story

In 1886, high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the first Monte Bello vineyards were planted, and winery construction begun. A first vintage from the young vines followed in 1892. During Prohibition (1920-1933), the vineyard was not fully maintained; some vines survived into the late 30s, but by the 1940s they were effectively abandoned. Eight acres of cabernet sauvignon were replanted in 1949. These were the source of the first Ridge Monte Bello (...

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Wine Information

BLEND: 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot

ALC: 12.5%

VINTAGE 1995 REPORT: 83 tons from 62 acres. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, welcome spring rains delayed the start of our growing season. We thinned the already moderate crop, and warm October weather brought the fruit to ideal ripeness. Fifteen of the twenty five parcels were chosen in February as most intense and most typical of the vineyard’s charac...

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Information

Origin

Cupertino, Santa Cruz

Grapes

18% Merlot
69% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Petit Verdot
3% Cabernet Franc

Drinking temperature

17-18C

Other wines from this producer

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Hearts Desire Selection Zinfandel

Lytton Springs Zinfandel

Monte Bello Merlot

Pagani Ranch Zinfandel

Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Ridge Geyserville

Ridge Mataro Bridgehead

Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon

Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay

Ridge York Creek Zinfandel

Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

Syrah Lytton Estate

Zinfandel Ponzo Vineyard

Inside Information

PRESS:

The Wine Advocate (May 2018): 95 Points. “The product of a late-October harvest, the 1995 vintage was Eric Baugher’s first vintage as Ridge’s winemaker alongside Paul Draper, and I remember him telling me in 2012 that he was afraid extraction had been pushed too far and that the wine might always be somewhat monolithic. In the last three years, however, the 1995 Monte Bello has began to shed some of its formidable tannins, and it’s clear that those fears were unfounded. The nose offers up rich aromas of cassis and red plums that mingle with nuances of sweet, loamy soil, cigar box and subtle leather. On the palate, the 1995 is full-bodied, deep and super concentrated, with its powerful core of fruit framed by melting tannins and underpinned by tangy acids, concluding with a long and distinctly stony finish. Today, the 1995 ranks as one of the highlights of the decade. Think of it as a somewhat more rustic cousin of the 2005.” – William Kelley

International Wine Report (January 2019) 95 Points – “The 1995 Monte Bello is drop-dead stunning after nearly 25 years in bottle. It instantly begins with seductive aromas of plum and red berries which are woven together with exotic spices, smoked meat and tobacco along with dried soil and cedar nuances that burst from the glass. Fully mature, the ’95 contines to dazzle as its tannins have softened beautifully resulting in a gorgoeus fine, silky texture with remarkable overall finesse. It still possseses a core of bright acidity which resonates through the finish. Simply sensational now, and it seems like this still has a few more wonderful years left to give, however readers should be cautious about letting it going beyond 2025.” – J. D’Angelo

The Wine Advocate (October 2016) 93 Points – “The first vintage where they kept each of the varieties separate for a longer period of time, the 1995 Monte Bello still smells like a three-year-old wine with its Bordeaux-styled notes of graphite, cedar, blackberries, currants and leafy herbs. Still fresh and focused on the palate, with bright acidity and fine tannin, it has another two decades of longevity.” – Jeb Dunnuck

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