I have 2019 with tax and shipping (also CA) at $156, Alan - I only record it ‘all in’ or it’s skewed.
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Fair. My prices are pre-tax, and I pick up my wines, so no shipping.
People in different parts of the country (even different parts of California) have different tax rates, so I think pre-tax.
I’ll be keeping my allocation, at least for a while longer. I am a younger collector, so the prospect of buying winery-direct and aging these wines myself for decades is still attractive. But the price, and the availability of previous vintages for less on secondary markets, are certainly a cause for pause.
I left instead of buying 2020. I didn’t get a MB offer for 20’ but rejected the estate cab and canceled.
I have left the program entirely, but it has nothing to do with the wines other than the fact that need a lot of age. I will be turning 70 soon and it just does not make sense to buy newer vintages.
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I’m out. Partly due to age. Partly due to smoke in 2020. Age is why I’m not interested in rejoining.
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So then we’re back at ‘dropped out’
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No. That’s not the spirit in which I left.
Ha! I figure I am buying these for my kids to enjoy one day.
At least you have kids to leave them to.
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Of the options given, it seems like that is clearly the closest
Here’s a more comprehensive list: Good bye/by/buy Ridge Monte Bello - #197 by Scott_Jameson
Yeah, i could go back that far as well, just listing the more recent vintages. There is no doubt that MB was underpriced for a long time. Ridge had been kind of ignored by Parker and Spectator for years. When they finally started paying attention again, Ridge used that as a springboard to bring prices more in line. At this point I think they’ve more than caught up, relative to Napa pricing.
Still buying - - 3L, 1.5L and 6x750.
The wines remain great, and underpriced for what they are.
Despite 2020, I trust the winery still.
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I left after tasting and returning my 2020s. The bottle was awful. I was a member for 15 or 20 years before that.
For reference, I joined the waiting list on May 15, 2025 and got an allocation of four bottles two weeks later. Seems pretty open at this point if you wanted to get back into it.
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Nope. I am in depletion mode.
Wow thats a very strong indicator. No waitlist anymore.
In 2019 750s were $140, magnums were $284.
Ya, they are three great kids and they think my wine collection is the best thing to happen to the family. I have an image at my death of them running to the basement to find a bottle to split and that could not make me happier. Maybe it will be a Monte Bello…and then this silly futures program will be worth it!
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