February, 2019
Wine critic Jeb Dunnuck tastes and reviews Monte Bello bottlings dating back to our first commerical vintage at Restaurant Perbacco in San Francisco.
This was a fabulous evening at Restaurant Perbacco, located in San Francisco, that was hosted by the incredibly gracious collector, Steve Wolking. Steve provided all the wines from his cellar, and the theme was Ridge Monte Bello, with vintages spanning 1976 to 1962.
A few of the highlights:
The star of the show was the 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello, and it had plenty of similarities to the 1976 yet in a deeper, richer, more powerful style. Lead pencil, forest floor, high-class cigar tobacco, and cedar box all came leaping from the glass and it gained depth and richness with additional air time. It’s a brilliant, magical wine from this estate that while fully mature, is going to continue drinking nicely for another 15-20 years.
Lastly, the 1962 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello was another elegant, regal, fully mature beauty. Mature red and black currant-like fruits, old cabinet, forest floor, and spice all emerged from the glass and it’s evolved, medium-bodied, and certainly on a downward trajectory, yet still drinking nicely.
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