wine still
reserve
Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma County, USA
About this product
California's most age-worthy Cabernet — produced from the Monte Bello Ridge above Cupertino in the Santa Cruz Mountains at 760m altitude. The 1971 Ridge Monte Bello was one of the five Californian reds in the 1976 Paris tasting; the 2006 retrospective had it placing first. Paul Draper's legacy winemaking philosophy — minimal intervention, wild yeast, full disclosure on back label — produces a wine of extraordinary elegance and longevity. At 20+ years, Ridge Monte Bello reveals a complexity that rivals the finest Bordeaux.
The deductive profile Library
colourDeep ruby with garnet rim on older vintages
finishExtraordinary length — mineral, cassis, chalk echo
aromaCassis, blackcurrant, eucalyptus, cedar, mineral, dark fruit, subtle oak
flavourTightly structured cassis, mineral, iron, chalk, cedar — austere in youth, revelatory with 15+ years bottle age
ageing profileNeeds 10-15 years minimum; best at 20-30 years
Service
glassBurgundy or large Bordeaux glass
food pairingLamb chops, dry-aged ribeye, hard cheese, roasted mushrooms
serve temp c16
decant minutes90 min
ageing potential years25-35+
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Pairings
complement
cheese
Ridge Monte Bello's complexity bridges the aged Toma; a California mountain wine for California's finest aged cheese
classic
cheese
complement
meat
Eucalyptus and cedar of Monte Bello echo Provençal herb crust; chalk mineral mirrors the lamb bone's mineral character; cassis provides fruit structure.
classic
main
complement
beef
Monte Bello's mountain tannin structure handles slow-braised short ribs; cipollini's sweetness mirrors the Cabernet fruit
classic
main
complement
meat
Iron mineral in wine mirrors the deep collagen richness of braised short rib; eucalyptus bridges the rosemary herb; cedar provides structural contrast to the richness.
established
main
complement
game
Ridge Monte Bello's mineral-iron character resonates powerfully with venison — both carry iron-mineral character from their respective sources (mountain soils, game muscle). The blackberry reduction bridges the wine's cassis. The chalky mineral character provides structure to carry the beetroot's earthiness.
established
main
complement
cheese
Ridge's California gravity and the local Bay Blue share Sonoma provenance; the blue's salinity bridges the Cabernet structure
established
cheese
complement
food
Monte Bello's age-worthy structure bridges the wild boar ragù; aged Pecorino echoes the wine's mineral mountain terroir
established
main
complement
cheese
Iron and chalk mineral in wine mirror the cave-aged complexity of Comté; cedar bridges the cheese's caramelised crystalline notes; cassis provides fruit contrast.
established
cheese