Monte Bello, 2012

Name: Monte Bello
Brand: Ridge Vineyards
Price: 1191.53 GBP

Available Vintages

all 1998 2010 2012 2014

critic reviews

98/100Jane Anson,Inside Bordeaux

Captures the stunning ability of Ridge to deliver concentration and richly textured but focused blackberry, cassis and bilberry fruits. As it opens, layers of cocoa bean, slate, cigar and liqourice appear, all delivered in a savoury, restrained package laced with sage, bay leaf and white pepper. This was a structured vintage, and the tannins are very much making their presence felt, meaning the wine is just beginning to reveal its depths, but you can feel total confidence that it is going to slowly but surely join the great vintages of Ridge. Paul Draper winemaker, harvest September 21 to October 16. 98.5% American oak, 1.5% French oak barrels for ageing, all new oak. Natural yeasts, only lightly filtered at moment of bottling.

DRINKING WINDOW 2022 - 2040

date of review 11/2022

97+/100Antonio Galloni,Vinous

The 2012 is a racy, voluptuous Monte Bello built on a core of sweet red fruit, with striking perfume, silky tannins and fabulous overall balance. The 2012 is of course an infant, and the new oak is still evident. As Vinous readers know, Monte Bello is a wine that really should not be touched until its tenth birthday, and even that requires an optimistic view. The 2012 has been a consistently brilliant wine. Today, it is once again stellar.

DRINKING WINDOW 2024 - 2052

date of review 07/2016