This is it. The 2019 Ridge Monte Bello—the wine that defines California’s wine revolution. A wine so bold, so rich in history, it has become the benchmark of greatness in the wine world. Ridge Monte Bello is not just a bottle; it’s a statement. A wine that critics, collectors, and connoisseurs have revered for decades, it’s the epitome of what happens when terroir, tradition, and time come together in perfect harmony.

Ridge Vineyards is a name that needs no introduction. Founded in 1885 by Dr. Osea Perrone on the breathtaking Monte Bello Ridge, this estate has been crafting world-class wines for over a century. From its humble beginnings, Ridge has grown into one of California’s most respected wineries, with a legacy that speaks volumes. The purchase of Ridge by a group of Stanford scientists in 1959 marked the start of the modern era for the winery, and with it came the creation of Ridge’s flagship wine—Monte Bello. Since then, Monte Bello has been the cornerstone of Ridge’s success, continuously setting the standard for California Cabernet Sauvignon.

But this is no ordinary Cabernet. The 2019 Ridge Monte Bello is a wine that’s built for greatness. Grown high in the Santa Cruz Mountains at elevations ranging from 1,300 to 2,700 feet, it benefits from a unique combination of cool ocean breezes, foggy nights, and limestone-rich soils. This rare terroir makes Ridge Monte Bello one of the most distinctive and age-worthy wines in California, delivering a wine that is impeccably balanced, intensely flavorful, and perfectly structured for long-term aging.

This is the wine that top sommeliers pour at Michelin-starred restaurants, the one that collectors fight to add to their cellars, and the one that critics cannot stop raving about. The 2019 vintage has already earned high praise for its depth, complexity, and age-worthy potential. With every sip, you’ll experience layers of dark fruit, crushed herbs, graphite, and that unmistakable minerality that Monte Bello is known for.

Ridge Monte Bello doesn’t just age gracefully; it evolves into something extraordinary with every passing year. This wine is a testament to Ridge’s commitment to excellence, from their dedication to organic farming practices to their use of minimal intervention winemaking. The 2019 is aged in a combination of 95% American oak and 5% French oak, adding depth and complexity without overpowering the purity of the fruit.

If you’re a wine lover who appreciates the very best, this is your wine. This is the one you’ll reach for when you want to experience the heights of California winemaking. It’s the wine that has stood the test of time—and it’s only getting better.

82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot.

This is a very powerful Monte Bello with currants and blackberry, black licorice and smoked meat. Mint. Some sesame seed, too. It's full-bodied with incredible darkness and saltiness like volcanic salt. Umami. Grilled seaweed. Flavorful and captivating. It goes on for minutes. ~99 James Suckling

Opens with soaring red raspberry and vivid cassis flavours. Even more precise and pure-tasting than its brother, the Estate Cabernet, Monte Bello has exquisite choreography and building on the palate. Still terribly young, has an immense structure. With time, its finish will no doubt lengthen if one can endure the agony of waiting. This is the wine that has established Ridge as a California 'First Growth'. Because of the vineyard’s cool mountain site exposed to the Pacific, Monte Bello always has a dramatic freshness—drinking it, you feel as though you’re in the mountains yourself. The first Monte Bello vines were planted in 1886, but the vineyard fell into near ruin during and post-Prohibition. A mere 3.25ha (eight acres) were replanted in 1949 and were the source of the first Monte Bello in 1962. Since then, other historic blocks have also been replanted. The 2019 is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. ~98 Decanter

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 Vinous Media

The 2019 Monte Bello includes 9% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. It has a poised, graceful nose of fresh sage and lilac with savory, meaty aromas in the background. The palate is medium-bodied but with admirable stuffing and concentration, leading to a springboard finish of pencil lead, gravel and pleasing, refreshing acidity. The standard élevage in new American oak is still years away from fully integrating, as evidenced in the herbal, upright but pleasant posture of the finish. This is a confidently elegant, high-toned iteration of this iconic wine that should drink and develop beautifully over the next three decades. ~97 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Rich and smoky on the nose, this famed estate Cabernet Sauvignon is enhanced with 9% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc,. Aromas of roasted plum, mesquite, sandalwood and frankincense show on the nose. Impressively polished tannins consume the palate, where roasted berry, black plum and toasted coffee flavors linger long. Drink now–2039. ~96 Wine Enthusiast

Freshness is the calling card of Montebello, grown close to 900 metres on the side of a coastal California mountain. Tightly wound, smoky, minty nose with equally intense red/black fruit wrapped in spicy oak, this structure suggests its will age thirty years. 2019 was a generous crop, fuelled by much-needed heavy winter and spring rains. Opulent yet refined, Montebello is a kind California cabernet that stands heads and shoulder above most of its competitors. You might have to put a consortium together to buy it, but you won’t be disappointed with the bottle. One of the best I have tasted. The final tape is a mix of 82/9/8 cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all hitting 13.7% alcohol. As usual, it was aged in new American oak. ~96 Anthony Gismondi, Gismondi on Wine

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello is a more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all hitting 13.7% alcohol. As usual, it was aged in new American oak. It shows the higher Cabernet component and is deep purple-hued and tight and closed, with a primordial vibe to its dark blue and black fruit, smoked tobacco, vanilla bean, graphite, and cedarwood aromatics. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific overall balance, building, ripe tannins, a good sense of freshness, and outstanding length. It reminds me slightly of the 2018 with its more elegant, streamlined profile, but I expect this to build with bottle age, and it should have 2-3 decades of overall longevity. ~95 Jeb Dunnuck

There's a prominent mineral streak of graphite, wet clay and lava rock on the nose of this bottling, which also includes 11% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. Further investigation reveals aromas of blackberry, dried oregano, pepper and dried meat, and the palate falls in line, as leathery tannins frame baked berry, cocoa dust and roasted meat flavors.  ~95 Wine Enthusiast

This has a densely packed core of vivid red and black currant and mulberry fruit, which is encased for now in a mix of charcoal, cast iron, singed mesquite and apple wood. Shows terrific drive, though, and everything is in proportion, with an echo of violet hinting at some inner purity. This will just need time to unwind. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2040.  ~95 Wine Spectator

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