Have you heard about the latest issue of Wine Advocate, Robert Parker’s legendary publication? The one profiling California reds? Issue 195? There is a Ridge Vineyards wine reviewed in this issue, and boy oh boy does it get a fine treatment!

Here is how the Wine Advocate defines a wine that receives a rating of 96-100 points:

An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase, and consume.

Which makes a 99-point rating seem pretty spectacular, I’d say! Which means that the Ridge Vineyards 2001 Monte Bello has just received, well, a pretty spectacular rating!

The review opens this way:

“A resoundingly great effort from this iconic producer.”

And concludes with these words:

“…make no mistake about this Monte Bello — it is a great wine.”

Not so very bad, as my Grandpa used to say. Not so very bad indeed.

(For more about Monte Bello, and the Monte Bello Collector futures program, please click here.)

Categories: Monte Bello, Paul Draper, Press Reviews, Tasting Notes

Tags: 2001 Monte Bello, Monte Bello Collector, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate