The American Vine Rating
Drink Window
2025–2038
Ridge's estate bottling — mountain-grown Cabernet in the winery's restrained, food-first style.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Medium-to-deep ruby.
Aroma: Black cherry and cassis with cedar, bay leaf, and the earthy signature of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Palate: Medium-to-full bodied with savory, food-friendly tannins and fresh acidity.
Finish: Long and dry, with dark fruit and stony mineral notes..
Food Pairings
Grilled lamb chops, roast beef, mushroom risotto
About the Wine
Drawn entirely from Ridge's organic estate vineyards on the Monte Bello ridge, this 100% varietal Cabernet is fermented with native yeast and aged in American oak. It is the estate's purity play — mountain fruit, minimal intervention.
About Ridge Vineyards
Ridge Vineyards has made Monte Bello since 1962, and the 1971 Monte Bello famously placed among the world's best in the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Ridge's commitment to pre-Prohibition American winemaking, native ferments, and restraint defines the estate to this day.
The American Vine's Take
The thinking drinker's Cabernet — savory, balanced, and built for the table rather than the scoreboard.
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