2017 Monte Bello Ranks #3 of Jeb Dunnuck’s Top 100 Wines of 2020
Jeb Dunnuck
December 2020
Ridge Vineyard’s 2017 vintage of Monte Bello was named Jeb Dunnuck’s #3 pick for his Top 100 Wines of 2020. Notably, this was the only pick of the top three to receive a 100 point score, and the highest-ranking wine on the list from the United States. His review of the wine was as follows:
“Pure perfection, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello is a sensational effort from this estate that should be snatched up by drinkers and collectors. Based on 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that was brought up mostly in new American oak, this saturated purple-hued beauty is legendary Monte Bello in the making and has a stunning yet primordial bouquet of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, graphite, chocolate, and chalky minerality. Full-bodied, incredibly powerful, and one of the most concentrated versions of this cuvée ever made (I’ve had most of them), it needs a solid decade of bottle age and will have 50-60 years of overall longevity. Despite the long drinking window, it offers plenty of pleasure even today. I followed this bottle for two days and it showed best right out of the gate, closing down and becoming more brooding and backward with air. It’s an incredible wine that I promise you won’t regret having in your cellar..”
— Jeb Dunnuck
