97/100 WS
"Very expressive, with warmed blueberry compote, menthol, sweet bay, steeped açaí and zesty sassafras notes all in the mix, carried by brambly grip and a cold cast iron spine. Late echo of mesquite completes this remarkably complex and vivid offering. Should be fun to watch this develop in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2042. From California."
(WinesSpectator.com)
94-97+/100 PP
"I tasted the 2018 Monte Bello as a finished barrel sample during the annual Ridge Monte Bello Tasting Final Assemblage event; the blend was 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 11% Petite Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. It has a medium to deep ruby-purple color and youthfully primary nose with boysenberry, blueberry jam, blackcurrant, dark chocolate-covered cherries, cigar box, graphite, loamy earth and oodles of floral character. The palate is medium to full-bodied and packed full of flavor layers, knit by very fine, ripe, pixelated tannins and great freshness and finishing very long."
(Erin Brooks, robertparker.com)
96+/100 vinous
"The 2018 Monte Bello is a wine of extraordinary finesse. Although it doesn’t have the body or overt richness of some recent vintages, it more than makes up for that with its total sense of harmony. Lavender, mocha, spice, licorice and dried flowers all develop in a sublime, refined Monte Bello that will thrill Ridge lovers. This is an especially elegant, lithe vintage for Monte Bello that is marked by a dry year with no heat spikes and a very long harvest that wrapped up in late October."
(Antonio Galloni, robertparker.com)
"Mild winter resulted in below-average rainfall. Most of the winter rain came in March. That was late enough to keep the vines going through summer and into harvest without too much water stress. Weather during bloom was perfect and allowed all varietals to set a full crop. Yields from our zinfandel vineyards were above average. Chardonnay and bordeaux varietals at Monte Bello were just below-average, down about 10%. Summer weather was warm, but not hot like 2017. Fog in August allowed the vines to slowly ripen and do so uniformly. It’s rare to have zinfandel do that, but when it does, the resulting wines are superb. 2018 zinfandels are excellent, possessing deep color, rich tannins, and amazing depth of flavors. They will age beautifully. The Monte Bello bordeaux lots are also of superb quality. Natural yeasts took much longer to ferment. To avoid pressing off sweet, we kept the fermenting juice on the skins longer-than-normal. To avoid over-extracting tannins, pump-over time and frequency was reduced. Once pressed, and fractionated, most of the press wine was held out from being added back to free runs. Now that natural malolactics are underway, the lots are all being sent to new barrels to finish. There are a number of lots that show amazing Monte Bello character. The assemblage tasting will be held in late January when we taste through everything to put together our first blend of 2018 Monte Bello. Petit verdot ripened nicely this year. Our two lots are phenomenal and likely to be selected into Monte Bello. Many of the classic cabernet and merlot lots are also excellent and will be chosen, too. With yields being lower at Monte Bello, the production size is most likely going to be on the smaller size. Nevertheless, it will be a powerful vintage."
(Ridge Estate)
