Monte Bello Wines named in “Pacific Coast Precision” from Decanter

Decanter

March 2026

If you’ve taken any introductory wine courses, you’ve learned about the popular wine regions and the grapes they’re known for, but what grape comes to mind when you think of the Santa Cruz Mountains? If you’re a Monte Bello Collector, cabernet sauvignon is a given, but even RIDGE makes a variety of wines from the same mountain, including Chardonnay, Merlot, and Zinfandel. This range is what Clive Pursehouse of Decanter explores in his latest article, “Discover Pacific Coast precision in the Santa Cruz Mountains.”

“It is this region’s great diversity that radiates, and perhaps makes it somewhat of an enigma in terms of how consumers and even wine collectors understand the place. Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah shine together here in ways that strike me as completely unique to a cool California coastal appellation.” —Clive Pursehouse

We’re pleased to represent the “Cabernet” category of this article with two of our recent releases:

2023 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

94 Points

“Ridge made a Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet from 1978 through the late 1980s, before changing the naming to ‘Estate.’ With the 2023 vintage, Ridge had the opportunity to purchase fruit from along Montebello Road, as well as other sites throughout the Santa Cruz AVA. Made just like all the Ridge wines. The well-known Monte Bello structure leaps out at you, taut and lean, salty, but backed by ample cherry fruit and a touch of oak spice. This wine has concentrated and dark fruit, Bright and spicy, a mountain Cabernet through and through. There’s an approachability here, and that is the role of this Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet in the library of ageable Ridge wines. Elegance married to approachability.”

2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

96 Points

“From the legendary Monte Bello estate vineyard, most of this 2021 Cabernet comes from the Klein Ranch portion of the famed Santa Cruz Mountains estate. An American Cabernet (blended with 16% Merlot) evocative of first-growth Bordeaux nuance and complexity. Freshly turned soils, bay leaf and sweet tobacco aromas segue into notes of pure black fruits. Sweet, ripe black plums open the palate with perfectly tart blackberries, muddled mint leaves, pencil shavings, and soaring acidity brighten this wine into a mineral-driven finish. This is a wine that, in 8-10 years, will surely be at its apex.”

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