Ridge Monte Bello (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2015
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Guide
Connoisseurs' -
Enthusiast
Wine
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Dark ruby in color. Cassis and blackberry aromas, barrel spice, fennel, scented juniper, and cedar. Rich mountain fruit on entry, violets, black olive, refreshing acidity, and elegant tannins. Strong minerality in a long finish.
Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Stunning depth, power, purity and elegance. The blackcurrants and plums are fresh and intense on the nose with blueberries and gently herbal notes, too. The palate has a keenly articulated array of vibrant tannins that hold long, fresh and pure. It invokes a sense of wonderment at the finish. So long and so pure. This blend of 77 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 11 per cent merlot, seven per cent petit verdot and five percent cabernet franc, is just at the start of a wonderful journey. Try from 2021.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Having recently passed its 10th birthday, the 2015 Monte Bello has lived up to the promise of its early days. It contains 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc and offers earth-forward aromas of dried mahogany, dark chocolate, brick dust and dried herbs. Supple and elegantly generous on the palate, its structure has started to soften, but fine-grained tannins are still apparent on the saturated, chewy finish.
-
Connoisseurs' Guide
11% Merlot; 7% Petit Verdot; 5% Cabernet Franc. As distinctive as ever and a Cabernet Sauvignon that is as complex as any to be found with a keen core of classic, cassis-like fruit infused with elements of black olives, fresh loam, stony soil and a trim touch of briary spice, the latest Monte Bello hews to the expected Ridge norms of temperate ripeness and very careful construction. It is altogether fascinating, eminently collectable stuff, to be sure, and becomes more interesting yet with each successive sip, but it should not be considered for drinking without having had the opportunity to grow into its best, and, with a requisite rest of some six to eight years, it may well emerge as its very capable maker’s best effort in recent vintages.
-
Wine Enthusiast
One of America’s most iconic wines, this classic mountaintop blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc opens with aromas of dark berry, black pepper, lilac, baked earth and toasty oak. The wood spice carries throughout the palate, decorating the savory black-olive, charred meat and leather flavors, which are framed by sandy, polished tannins. Drink 2023–2045.
Other Vintages
2020-
Wong
Wilfred
-
Suckling
James - Decanter
-
Parker
Robert -
Wong
Wilfred -
Spirits
Wine & -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Wong
Wilfred -
Spectator
Wine -
Suckling
James - Vinous
-
Spirits
Wine & -
Guide
Connoisseurs'
-
Wong
Wilfred -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Journal
The Somm -
Spirits
Wine & -
Spectator
Wine -
Guide
Connoisseurs'
-
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Spirits
Wine & -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James - Decanter
-
Suckling
James - Decanter
-
Parker
Robert -
Wong
Wilfred
-
Parker
Robert -
Wong
Wilfred - Decanter
-
Spirits
Wine & -
Spectator
Wine
-
Wong
Wilfred -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert -
Spirits
Wine & -
Guide
Connoisseurs'
-
Spirits
Wine & - Decanter
-
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James
-
Spirits
Wine & -
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Guide
Connoisseurs'
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine -
Spirits
Wine & -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Spirits
Wine & -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Suckling
James -
Spirits
Wine &
-
Parker
Robert -
Spirits
Wine & -
Guide
Connoisseurs' -
Spectator
Wine
-
Spirits
Wine & -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert -
Spirits
Wine &
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert
Ridge's history begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor and prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He planted vineyards and constructed a winery of redwood and native limestone in time to produce the first vintage of Monte Bello in 1892. The historic building now serves as the Ridge production facility.
Though Ridge began as a Cabernet winery, by the mid-60s, it had produced several Zinfandels including the Geyserville. In 1972, Lytton Springs joined the line-up and the two came to represent an important part of Ridge production. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of Chardonnay since 1962.
The Ridge approach is straightforward: find the most intense and flavorful grapes, guide the natural process, draw all the fruit's richness into the wine. Decisions on when to pick, when to press, when to rack, what varietals and what parcels to include and when to bottle, are based on taste. To retain the nuances that increase complexity, Ridge winemakers handle the grapes and wine as gently as possible. There are no recipes, only attention and sensitivity.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.