The Monte Bello vineyard is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. Ridge practices natural, low-tech winemaking, using native yeasts, small fermentors, and air-dried American oak barrels. The Monte Bello Estate, at an elevation of 2,300 feet, is considered the spiritual home of Ridge. The flagship Monte Bello historically has borne comparison to two Bordeaux first growths, Haut-Brion and Latour. The limestone soils, and the short distance to the Pacific Ocean as well as the seriously high elevation, means that the Santa Cruz Mountains produce a very different Cabernet than much of California. The 2022, drought vintage, a third straight year, meant tannic, tiny fruit on the Montebello estate. The wine was fully destemmed and only pumped over half as often as a typical vintage for Montebello. Its a tightly wound iteration in its youth with 100% new American oak for 20 months. Expressive on the nose, with taut black fruits, fresh pine needles and mineral notes of wet clay and roasted herbs. The palate is fresh and medium weight, (13.8%abv) with so much lively freshness in its youthful exuberance. Salty ocean notes open the palate chasing taut early season blackberries and plum skins. The palate opens overtime revealing dried mint, and alpine meadow herbs that buoy the fruit expression and carry this masterfully made wine toward its zenith, but… don’t touch it for another 10 years for the best result. Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc