2023 Monte Bello

Dark, opaque purple color, sweet oak and coffee bean. On the palate, full-bodied with a strong grip of tannins, blackberry fruit, lively acid and notes of chaparral. JO (1/26)

After the condensed growing season of 2022 with above-average temperatures, 2023 was a stark contrast. A long, cool spring followed by mild summer weather pushed veraison into mid-August. Harvest began in October and lasted well into November, making 2023 one of the latest Monte Bello harvests ever. The long maturation period resulted in a wine with supple tannins, ample acidity, and well-defined fruit. This exemplary vintage will develop over the next twenty-five years. JO (4/25)

In 1886, high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the first Monte Bello vineyards were planted, and winery construction begun. A first vintage from the young vines followed in 1892. During Prohibition (1920-1933), the vineyard was not fully maintained; some vines survived into the late 30s, but by the 1940s they were effectively abandoned. Eight acres of cabernet sauvignon were replanted in 1949. These were the source of the first Ridge Monte Bello (1962) and subsequent vintages until 1974 when younger blocks replanted in the 1960s were considered for inclusion. Since then, the historic vineyards on the ridge have gradually been replanted.

Rainfall: 84 inches (above average)
Bloom: Late June
Weather: A late and prolonged harvest due to consistently cool weather throughout the growing season.

Harvest Dates: 2 October – 10 November
Grapes: Average Brix 23.6˚
pH: 3.36
Fermentation: Grapes destemmed, 100% whole berry fermentation. Fermented on the native yeasts. Natural malolactic.
Selection: Eighteen Monte Bello parcels
Barrels: 100% new oak barrels (95% American, 5% French)
Aging: Twenty-one months in barrel

Hand-harvested; estate grown Monte Bello Vineyard grapes, destemmed and sorted; fermented on the native yeasts; full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur (35 ppm at crush, 65 ppm during aging); depth filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

OwenBargreen.com: 99 Points “A spellbinding Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 ‘Monte Bello’ was initially blended from 30 lots in the Monte Bello Vineyard. From a slightly cooler vintage, the 2023 has a slightly larger portion of Merlot (9%) added. It offers cool wintergreen notes on the nose alongside sandalwood, orange bell pepper, and fresh sage that combines with shades of boysenberry compote on this intoxicating nose. The palate is lush and round with a terrific mouthfeel and loads of mouth-watering finesse. Showing stunning length, this beauty really needs a year or two in the bottle before savoring. Drink 2028-2050.” -Owen Bargreen (February 2026)

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