2011 Ridge Monte Bello

Proprietary Blend - 375ML
Reg: $84.94
$74.94
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REVIEWS

WA 95 JS 94 JA 94 VN 93 WE 92 WS 92
WA 95

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, August 2012

(WA93-95 points) The 2011 Monte Bello (87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc) emerges from the glass with tobacco, grilled herbs, smoke, incense and plums melding together in this soft, beautifully textured...
JS 94

jamessuckling.com, January 2023

Lovely maturing nose of blackcurrant, black raspberry, mint and vanilla. At once rich, velvety and enticing, this is a delight now, due to the fine and moderately dry tannins that are wrapped in spice and savory notes at...
JA 94

janeanson.com, October 2022

Deep plum in colour, gentle whisper of pink on the edging. Majors on blackberry fruits, rose petal, raspberry leaf, crushed rocks and slate, push and pull between caressingly soft fruits and textured tannic frame...
VN 93

Vinous, May 2022

The 2011 Ridge Monte Bello is in a great spot where it is just starting to show lovely signs of aromatic development. Even so, the 2011 remains rich, deep and imposing, with tons of depth and plenty of mountain intensity...
WE 92

Wine Enthusiast, November 2014

Ridge’s historic Monte Bello estate produces black tobacco, wet slate, chalk and blueberry jam aromas in this vintage. The wine, which gets support from 14% Merlot-3% Petite Verdot-1% Cabernet Franc, is not very dense and...
WS 92

Wine Spectator, January 2019

This shows the cool aspect of the vintage, with more obvious maturity and a range of bay leaf, tobacco, singed sandalwood and perfume notes leading the way, while the core of fruit is mainly red in profile. The most...

WINE DETAILS

Color & Type Red
Varietal Proprietary Blend
Country USA
Region California
Sub-region Central Coast
Appellation Santa Cruz Mountains
Vintage 2011
Size 375ML

Ridge Vineyards is a California winery best known for its Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon and its equally famous range of Zinfandel wines and blends. The winery’s history dates back to 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. He planted vineyards on terraced slopes and constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first Monte Bello vintage in 1892.

In 1959, four scientists from Stanford University's Research Institute purchased land adjacent to the Perrone property, the middle vineyard, and created an estate Cabernet. They formed the Ridge Vineyards partnership in 1962 and re-bonded the winery to produce the first official commercial vintage of Monte Bello. The first Zinfandel was made in 1964 from eighty-year-old vines and was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville Zinfandel from vines that are now one hundred and thirty years old. 1972 marked the first Lytton Springs, from vines planted in 1902.

The old Monte Bello winery and a small part of the Perrone vineyard property was purchased by Ridge in 1968. The old cellar, made of native limestone and built into the mountainside, is Ridge’s production facility today. At 2600 feet above sea level, it is surrounded by the upper vineyard.

Lytton Springs, in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley, became part of the Ridge estate in 1991, completing the lineup of Ridge’s three estate vineyards which provides for 75% of the fruit they use. The winery produces wine at both the original Monte Bello location and Lytton Springs.

Paul Draper joined Ridge Vineyards as winemaker 1969. Draper became one of the world’s most celebrated winemakers, earning awards and accolades for his exceptional work. After nearly 46 years at the helm, Draper retired in 2016. Eric Baugher, COO and director of winemaking at Monte Bello, and John Olney, COO and winemaker at Ridge Lytton Springs, continue Ridge’s style and legacy of quality. Both men have worked with Paul Draper at Ridge for 20+ years.

Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology. The Ridge pre-industrial approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.