2017 Monte Bello, Ridge Vineyards, Santa Cruz Mountains

2017 Monte Bello, Ridge Vineyards, Santa Cruz Mountains

Critic score
99/100 info
Pricing
info
Case, 6 Bottles
From a client
Report
1 available
£1,009.50
Case, 6 Bottles
From a client
Report
1 available
£1,009.50
Bottle
From a client
5 available
£168.25

Wine details

  • Region & country
    Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Cruz County, California, USA
  • Grape
    78% Cabernet Sauvignon
    11% Petit Verdot
    6% Merlot
    5% Cabernet Franc
  • Maturity
    Ready 2023 - 2043info
  • Colour
    Red
  • Sweetness
    Dry
  • Style
    Still
  • Unit Volume
    Bottle (75cl.)
  • ABV
    13.5%

Tasting notes

Destined to rank as one of the all-time greats from Ridge, the 2017 Monte Bello opens in the glass with youthfully complex notes of ripe plums, cassis, espresso roast and black truffles, with little apparent trace of its time in 100% new oak. On the palate, it's full-bodied and incredibly concentrated, with a rich, layered mid-palate and immense substance that marks it out as the most richly tannic Monte Bello since 2013. As ever, the acids are vibrant, with a classic pH of around 3.5—notably lower than most Cabernet Sauvignons from contemporary Bordeaux or Napa Valley, thanks to this site's limestone soils and high altitude. At the time of writing, the blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, though that may change by the time it's bottled. Eric Baugher observes that fermentations were slow in 2017, which protracted the period of extraction, partially accounting for this vintage's power. It's still a baby, but this is a strong contender for a perfect score when it's bottled in over a year's time—and it should see out its 50th birthday in style.

William Kelley, Wine Advocate
(98—100)/100

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Pricing
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