I’ve been buying for about 40 years. 1974 was the current release when I started buying and I was able to back fill earlier vintages around the same time. Unfortunately, all those are gone and we’re mainly drinking bottles from the late 80s and early 90s now. The youngest Monte Bello I’ve opened is the 2006, and we’ve tried others from the early 2000s. We’re drinking more than we’re buying, especially since I dropped my futures purchases from 12 750s and 2 mags to half that a few years ago. I’m now thinking of futher reducing my standing order to 4 750s and dropping the mag. Fortunately, the special Monte Bello bottlings - the Steep Terraces and Historic Vines - have kept the supply of Monte Bello in the cellar from shrinking too much. Luckily, they don’t seem to be produced every year …
Wow, that’s impressive. I bet you’ve had some amazing MBs along the way.
If I were still buying wine, I’d be buying this. But I’m Too old and have too much wine already in the cellar.
I always open a wine from a case after I receive it. The taste young is much different than when aged, but just as enjoyable but in a different way. Ridge MB, in particular, is yummy when 3-4 years old. You are missing out IMHO.
Less than that when I first started buying - I think $68 a bottle was when I got in and when it tipped over $100 is when I got out.
I don’t buy case lots. Ever, really
Not a lot of fine claret-styled wine from anywhere that I’m aware of that match the value of Monte Bello @ $125 or Ridge Estate Cab @ $60 (or less, if you can find it).
I’ve bought and consumed many older (mature) vintages, and also been treated to many. Since the prices of various ready-to-drink vintages have gone up 3-5 times, Purchases have become rare and supply is fairly depleted. I haven’t opened many that I purchased on release ('99-current).
The 1974 was the first current release vintage that I bought also.
Think I paid $10-$15 for it.
Those were the days…
TTT
My wife and I were fortunate to taste the preliminary assemblage of the 2017 recently. Very tasty, as virtually all Monte Bello’s are. It is an elegant yet opulent vintage that will likely be on the approachable side, but will certainly age well. I’ve had every vintage of Monte Bello ever made, and with few exceptions they are all wonderful wines when perfectly stored. The 2017 is no exception. A 1972 we recently had blew away 1983 Mouton.
Damn inflation
I’m in complete agreement with your point, but the re-order card in the previous photo was from October 1981 for the 1977 vintage at $32.
Inflation to now would net a considerably lower figure.
Using the same inflation calculator you used (dollartimes.com):
$132.75 from 1977 (vintage) to 2017 (vintage)
or
$91.41 from 1981 (when offer to purchase was made) to 2018 (when offer to purchase was made)
Again, your point is well made. I really just wanted to be pedantic. 
In for my two bottles. Striving for cellar breadth over depth. We are big Ridge fans in my house though. Normally go through a solid case of Lytton and Geyser each year.
Just makes me feel better about not ‘missing out’ of some unbelievable deals back in the days.
By the way if anyone has one or two 2012’s they would be willing to part with, send me a PM. Have some 14’s for my 3yo and don’t want the 5yo to feel left out.
At what point does the American oak flavor integrate?
Have you ever had it bug you on a Monte Bello? I see posts from some where that’s a factor, and a rare few who are bugged by what shows ones. Never been a factor for me. YMMV. As an anomaly, the '14 Estate Cab showed pretty yucky to me last year, due to oak, plus an unusually soft fruitness and paste-y fruit. Will probably integrate. It sticks out on other baby wines of there’s some of the time, incl. Geyserville and Lytton Springs, but those are always integrated (to me) before I’d want to drink them.
For what it’s worth, I had a glass of the 14 estate cab at a restaurant on Tuesday and it was awesome. Oak didn’t stand out at all. Understated, medium bodied cab goodness with mouth watering acidity. Drinking really well but with years of life ahead of it. Insane value in the CA cab world
FWIW, one of the reasons I don’t drink Monte Bello young is that I don’t like the more prominent American oak at that age. It’s not that I hate it, but I know I’ll like it much better when it’s much older.
-Al
How was the white zin?
I suppose if anyone could make a decent one it would be ridge. My next thought is do you hold on to all your wine receipts?? That would be a crazy amount of paper for me.
Thanks
-paul