2019 Ridge Estate Monte Bello, Sonoma

The 2019 Monte Bello is a wild, exotic wine. Huge, soaring aromatics meld into a core of heady, exotically ripe fruit. Not a shy wine by any means, the 2019 is atypically opulent, and yet all of the classic Monte Bello structure is there, underneath all of that fruit. The 2019 needs time in bottle to shed its baby fat, but there is a lot to look forward to. I imagine it will always be a pretty exuberant wine. Inky red fruit, blood orange, espresso, sweet American oak, cedar and pipe tobacco leave a lasting impression. In a word: magnificent!

98 points Antonio Galloni vinous.com May 2022

A masterpiece by the Ridge winemaking team, the 2019 ‘Monte Bello’ is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot with a

splash of Cabernet Franc. Blending for this wine took place on February 5-6 as twenty-eight lots were blind tasted and scored prior to crafting the final blend. This really needs an hour or two in the decanter prior to enjoying, as it is very tightly-wound like most new release Monte Bellos. Once aroused this shows incredible nuance aromatically from wintergreen and dried herbs to cassis and creme de violette notes, with scorched earth undertones. The palate is very fresh and vibrant with a seamless texture and wonderful length. Try not to touch this beauty for at least two more years, as this has both the weight and finesse to cellar well past two decades. Drink 2024-2045.

97 points Owen Bargreen owenbargreen.com June 2022