Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 2022

Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 2022 is one of California’s most iconic Cabernet-based wines, combining the depth and longevity of Bordeaux with the freshness and mineral character of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Produced from an organically farmed mountain vineyard, it has built its reputation over decades as a benchmark for age-worthy American red wine, notably gaining international recognition in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting.

Tasting Notes
Deep and intensely coloured, the 2022 Monte Bello opens with aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry and blackberry, followed by cedar, graphite, dried herbs and distinctive chalky mineral notes. The palate is concentrated yet precise, with vibrant acidity, a firm backbone and pronounced but refined tannins. Despite the warm growing season, the wine retains the cool, lifted character for which Monte Bello is renowned. This is a powerful but classically proportioned vintage with considerable cellaring potential. It can be enjoyed young after thorough decanting, although its complexity will develop significantly over the next 20–25 years and may continue to evolve well beyond that.

Production
The grapes come from Ridge’s organically farmed Monte Bello Vineyard, dramatically situated at 400–840 metres above sea level with views towards San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean. Its unusual soils of decomposed limestone, greenstone and clay contribute freshness, minerality and structural intensity. Following three consecutive dry years and two significant heat spells, the 2022 crop was harvested early at a notably low yield of 1.5 tons per acre. The grapes were destemmed and fermented as whole berries with naturally occurring yeasts, before a detailed blind tasting selected 18 of the vintage’s 31 individual parcels for the final blend. The wine underwent natural malolactic fermentation and matured for 21 months in 100% new oak, consisting of 95% American and 5% French oak. The final blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

Food & Serving
Monte Bello 2022 is a natural partner for richly flavoured dishes such as grilled or roasted prime beef, rack of lamb, venison and slow-cooked short ribs. It also pairs well with truffle dishes, wild mushrooms and mature hard cheeses. Serve at approximately 16–18°C. Decant for at least two to three hours when drinking young to soften the tannins and allow the wine’s aromatic complexity to emerge; older bottles should be decanted more gently, primarily to remove sediment.

Producer
Founded in 1959, Ridge Vineyards has become one of California’s most respected producers, with Monte Bello serving as its flagship wine. The vineyard’s high-elevation, cool-climate location in the Santa Cruz Mountains gives the wine a distinctive combination of power, freshness and longevity that sets it apart from many warmer-climate California Cabernets. Ridge’s reputation was firmly established on the international stage when the 1971 Monte Bello performed strongly at the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting, helping demonstrate the quality and age-worthiness of California wine.

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