One of the most sought-after wines in the world, the Ridge Estates Monte Bello Cabernet Magnum 1.5L 2019 is a product of a unique and carefully nurtured vineyard located high atop the Santa Cruz Mountains in California. With decomposing limestone and Franciscan rock as its foundation, this vineyard is capable of producing a wine of great depth, complexity, and aging potential. To preserve the existing ecosystem, the vineyard practices of Ridge Estates involve using natural techniques like sowing cover crops and integrated pest management.

The Monte Bello vineyard is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, California's coolest cabernet-producing area. Ridge Estates lets the vineyard site create the wine rather than trying to steer it towards a particular style in the cellar. They accomplish this through natural, low-tech, and hands-off winemaking techniques. The winemakers keep all grape varieties and parcels separate, use only natural yeasts, and transfer the separate lots into air-dried American oak barrels to undergo full, natural malolactic fermentation. The selection process is crucial to creating a wine that consistently reflects the character of the vineyard and not the whim of the winemaker.

Monte Bello is a classic Bordeaux blend in which cabernet sauvignon predominates, often described as America's First Growth. The test blends during the assemblage process determine how much if any, merlot, petit verdot, or cabernet franc will be included in the finished wine. Each grape variety contributes to the flavour and structure of the wine, making it a consistently outstanding wine with great structure, complexity, and balance. Monte Bello can age for several decades with elegance and ease.

What sets the Monte Bello vineyard apart is its unique soil composition. The vineyard ranges in elevation from 1300' to 2700' above sea level and is composed of unique green stone and clay soils layered over decomposing limestone. The limestone is not found in the well-known Cabernet-producing areas of Napa and Sonoma Valleys, making the soil composition at Monte Bello a unique and important contributor to the wine's distinctive character. The combination of elevation, cool climate, and soil produces a wine that is impeccably balanced and destined for long-term aging, with firm acidity and a consistent streak of minerality.

The Ridge Estates Monte Bello Cabernet Magnum 1.5L 2019 comes in a magnum bottle size, which is equivalent to two standard 750ml bottles. The larger bottle size is beneficial to the wine's aging process, as it reduces the amount of oxygen that comes into contact with the wine, slowing down the oxidation process and allowing the wine to age more gracefully. Additionally, magnums make for an impressive presentation and are often reserved for special occasions and celebrations.