- 2013 Ridge Monte Bello - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains (11/7/2025)
An unexpected delight for me this evening, this 2013 Monte Bello. I was preparing shitaake mushroom risotto, and while I'd normally enjoy a Nebbiolo of some sort, my wife was interested in wine tonight (a rarity lately) so I knew we'd likely have to go Cabernet, and likely 'big' since it's an uncommon occurrence. I was skeptical of the pairing, but it turned out to be better than I can ever recall a mushroom risotto/Nebbiolo pairing.
Monte Bello - it's the nose, man, the unmistakable, big, velvety, oaky-fruit, violet nose...an iconic smell, to be certain. I've experienced this with every Monte Bello I've enjoyed BUT the questionable 2020. If the nose doesn't explode in your face with generous doses of everything, all in balance but all in excess at the same time, is it Monte Bello?
My description of the nose is normally one I'd see in the palate, but this wine truly SMELLS velvety, if that makes sense. The palate showcases this wine's relative youth, as it still isn't fully integrated, still bears the hallmark oak treatment over the dark red and blue fruits, and when paired with food this wine, while young, can shine. Several successive sips can overwhelm, but a 'perfect pairing' as we had serves as the perfect reset, and it's an introduction to this generous wine once again.
I hope to save my last bottle a couple years, but as many of you who have attended wine events with me and my wife, she loves to tell the story how I have 'so much Monte Bello but never open it', so I promised one a year. With such a tremendous vintage I don't want to 'waste' my last bottle, so hopefully I can delay its opening for another 5+ years, to see how it struts its stuff on the palate, as well.
(side note, I highly recommend shitaake mushrooms when making mushroom risotto - my first time doing so, but it delivers a much more elegant and complex risotto in the end - absolutely adored it)
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As I scrolled through the note, I had to wonder whether our fearless leader had @Otto_Forsberg ghostwrite the note for him. 
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If Otto wrote a note about 2013 Monte Bello, it would be 84 points and criticize how much flavor it has 
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An incredible compliment!
Otto is busy at Decanter’s Fine Wine Encounter this weekend!
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Agree on both how wonderful the Monte Bello is, and the shitake mushrooms with the risotto! We bought a pour of the 2013 Monte Bello up at Ridge in Healdsburg a few years ago, and it was fantastic, albeit still very youthful. Glad you enjoyed it!
Great note Todd. I missed out in a trio of these in a K&L auction a few weeks back due to a brain fart. Even more upset with myself now.
I’m sure there are plenty on the market, more will come along! Or I’ll save my last one to have with you, WBRSRKER
I have one in a case I just shipped from Winebid. Looking forward to it!
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I think I know what to bring to the next offline! 
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Thanks for the great note. First son’s birthyear so I have 4 and a couple of mags, sounds like they will definitely go the distance.
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Fantastic choice for birthyear wines!
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Encouraging note. I have 4 bottles, which I have marked down to open . . . at some point in the distant future. First the 15s, then the 14s then the 13s
I like William Kelley’s WA review drinking window: “This profound Monte Bello will begin to blossom as it reaches age ten and should prove practically immortal. (drink 2023-2070)”.
Practically Immortal.
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Of COURSE WK had to one-up me with his florid prose. Come on, man!!!