Wine By Bok - 10/10 Stars

This wine redefines what American wine is capable of. A perfect 10 out of 10, and astonishingly, it not only rivals but surpasses Bordeaux First Growths, even when tasted alongside the magnificent 1983 Château Palmer. Simply put, one does not truly understand American fine wine without tasting Ridge Monte Bello!

The 1991 Monte Bello is built primarily on Cabernet Sauvignon, making up approximately 70 percent of the blend, with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot providing depth and complexity. The bouquet is layered and compelling, revealing dried tobacco, herbs, pencil lead shavings, vanilla, and beautifully integrated oak.

On the palate, the wine is silky and refined, driven by vibrant acidity and an exceptionally long, precise finish. What stands out most is the absence of typical Cabernet Sauvignon greenness or grassiness. Everything is perfectly integrated, balanced, and composed, demonstrating extraordinary craftsmanship and terroir expression.

Tasted side by side with the 1983 Château Palmer, which itself earned a flawless score, the Ridge Monte Bello 1991 still managed to overshadow it. That comparison alone speaks volumes. This is a wine that can stand toe to toe with the greatest wines of Bordeaux and emerge victorious. I highly recommend anyone serious about fine wine must experience Ridge Monte Bello, as this bottle exemplifies just how exceptional it truly is! (02/2026)

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 97 points

Absolutely spectacular, the 1991 Monte Bello comes from a low tannin year where the estate was wondering how well the wine would age. I'm happy to report it has aged brilliantly! Fully mature, yet still youthful and lively, it offers tons of cassis, underbrush, spice and dried herbs to go with a full-bodied, utterly seamless, sexy feel on the palate that just keeps you coming back to the glass. (10/2015)

Stephen Tanzer - 97 points

Full, youthful red-ruby color. Knockout nose of cassis, maple syrup, game, truffle and spicy oak; sappy and highly complex. Powerful, primary dark berry flavors exude a sweet gamey quality. Dense but sharply delineated. Great flavor intensity without the slightest suggestion of heaviness. Still a baby but already amazingly harmonious wine. Extremely long finish features very fine, suave tannins. A world-class cabernet, certainly among the top dozen made in California during the last 20 years. (10/2000)

Vinous - 97 Points

The 1991 Monte Bello is utterly captivating. Sweet tobacco, cedar, mint, dried flowers and herbs are some of the many notes the open up in the wine's striking bouquet. Aromatic, mid-weight and gracious, the 1991 is wonderfully complex, with more than enough balance to drink well for another two decades. The aromatics in particular are super-expressive, open-knit and incredibly finessed, all qualities Paul Draper says the wine showed right out of the fermentation tanks. What a gorgeous wine this is. (7/2015)