Your Upcoming Monte Bello Estate Wines Club Shipment
As a Monte Bello Collector Member, you receive an annual shipment of our new-release wines grown and produced at our Monte Bello Estate. We are delighted to announce the release of the 2021 Estate Chardonnay, 2020 Estate Merlot, and 2020 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, which will be included in your upcoming Monte Bello Estate Wines shipment. You will receive 1 bottle of each wine in your shipment. If you would like to increase your allocation of any of the wines, please contact us by February 27th with your request.
Key Dates & Details:
We will be charging your card on file, on Thursday, March 2nd.
Weather permitting, shipping orders begin transit on March 13th.
Deadline to update your account or make changes to your order: Monday, February 27th.
And a note about 2022 Futures
A Note About 2022 Futures
We are currently assessing the 2022 vintage of Monte Bello and will be in touch regarding the availability of a futures offering following our Winemaking Team’s assemblage tastings this spring.
I don’t get the MB Collector emails, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the comment is similar to those in the past few years. Once again quantities of the 2022 MB will be less than normal according to the Monte Bello Harvest Report. I don’t know how the numbers compare to 2020 and 2021, but I’m guessing that some members won’t receive a futures allocation, just like for those 2 years.
I got this today and going to look really hard at it. The 2020 Estate cab is listed at $80 now on their site, and I’m not crazy about the Chardonnay or merlot. With shipping, there’s zero reason to buy these directly from Ridge when they’re readily available for better prices at retail.
This would be specactular, but I think no reviewer is willing to take the risk
I, too, am worried about these wines, as one never knows what is smoke and mirrors (no pun intended) with regards to ‘we have to spin the story so we can make money’ and when it is legitimately not an issue. For allocations I’m keeping whatever I have, for the few producers I have allocated, but I will likely be avoiding 2020 Napa/Sonoma as a whole otherwise, just in case
It’s being upfront. Their assemblage process is deciding which lots make the cut for Monte Bello. It’s about both quality and typicity, fitting well in the blend. Their “final assemblage” decisions of the last “maybe” lots going in or not come fairly late and could potentially involve a large volume range from none making the cut to all making the cut.
Galloni did do a comprehensive review of 2020 Napa producers. He released it on Feb.16. He even went to the trouble of listing all of the wines that were not made that year.
Its my first time on the MB list, Im getting the 3 estate wines (Cab,Merlot and Chard) both the cab and merlot are 2020. Being my first year on the list im not holding my breath on an MB allocation but should I be worried for the 2020 estate wines?
I’m in the same boat. Given its Ridge I’m trusting them to be confident in the 2020s and not risk their reputation. But interested to hear what word on the wines is out there.
I’d be shocked if they decided to release tainted wine. At two and a half years from harvest I would expect to get a sense for the long term viability. That said, it’ll be the first time that a 2020 red from Monte Bello Ridge will be accessible to the public, so we’ll have to see. The Sonoma 2020s I’ve tried so far were good or great (2020 Geyserville being the standout).
I have to give credit to Galloni. I don’t subscribe to Vinous but at least someone out there took the trouble to rate this difficult vintage. The real proof in the pudding I guess is when the wines make it out into the market and are actually being drunk. The listing of the producers who declined to release is also very helpful. If you want to serve consumers, this is the way to go.
I have not signed up for his information because of the subscription policies, but this was the right call.
I opened a 2020 Ridge Estate Chardonnay last night. The nose had a burnt note. I called it burnt rubber that was hiding some pineapple. My wife called toasted marshmallows. Ended up taking the bottle to a friends house. Had it in a Vinglace chiller and all I told them was it was Chardonnay. They also picked up on the burnt or toasted notes on the nose. At first I thought it was just some reduction that would blow off. I had the last glass after about six hours of the bottle being open and it was still there. I found it off putting.
On the palate it was very interesting. Very round, medium bodied. Obviously California Chardonnay but not at all the butter notes that normally accompany that description.
I tasted this wine at the Estate last year and don’t recall any of the burnt nose. I have limited experience with Ridge Chardonnay but I drink a lot of Mount Eden and have never smelled or tasted these notes.
not sure when my estate wines will ship but once I receive them I will definitely pop one or two and check them out. Would be a real blow to their reputation if they rolled the dice like that…
