The 2016 Monte Bello is a masterful expression of this lauded site in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It’s powerful, broad and infinitely layered, but it also possesses an incredibly finessed tannin structure that speaks clearly and forcefully but yields dutifully. Saturated blueberry, gravel, eucalyptus, charcoal, cedar and India ink build gradually and steadily through the long and sizzling finish. Just beginning to soften and develop beyond the primary stage, it wouldn’t be a crime to open a bottle now, but this has many, many lives left to live and should be even better (if you can fathom) in a few more years. This is what Monte Bello is all about.
Vinous Media | 100 VM
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello is slightly more elegant and polished than the more concentrated, blockbuster styled 2015. Beautiful cassis, blue fruits, vanilla bean, smoked tobacco, and chocolate notes all define the aromatics, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a refined, flawlessly balanced mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It’s one of the of those wines that grows on you with time in the glass, and it’s going to have 30-40 years of overall longevity. I don’t think it’s one of the all-time greats here, but it’s an absolute sure bet of a stunning Monte Bello.
Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD
The 2016 Monte Bello is savory and delectable, showing early hints of evolution past its youthful primary phase. Fragrant but reserved at first, aromas of black tea, black truffle, turned earth and dried plums appear. Medium-bodied, succulent and sponge-like on the palate, the finish shows off vibrant, scrumptious acidity with slowly integrating but grippy tannins. Easing into a window of early consumption, this has another two decades of power in it, with further evolution beyond that likely. It contains 12% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc.
Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP
This is tight as a drum today, with a rigid frame of singed apple wood and cedar around a core of dark currant, fig and blackberry reduction notes. A racy iron streak and riveting acidity drive the finish, which is loaded with bay leaf, violet, sage, charcoal and tobacco details. Expands steadily in the glass with air, but this isn’t meant for consumption today. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2045. 5,150 cases made.
Wine Spectator | 96 WS
A wine destined to evolve for decades, the 2016 is a muscular vintage of Monte Bello. That textural grandeur sets it apart from most contemporary California cabernets; and part of that distinctive texture connects to the way grape-skin tannins mature on vines David Gates farms on this coastal limestone ridge. All of the parcels that contributed to this blend are certified organic, a practice that also sustains the health of the microbial population Eric Baugher relies on for the yeasts that ferment this wine. It is increasingly rare to find cabernet sauvignon produced at commercial quantities anywhere in the world that does not rely on commercial yeasts; and whether or not you believe this is significant to the flavor and complexity of the wine, it is, in a real sense, a reflection of the health of the farming practice. If you are interested in a strapping young cabernet, infused with the kind of energy that health sustains, the 2016 Monte Bello is a wine for your cellar. It’s concentrated with flavors of fresh blackberries and blueberries; there’s a molasses note, perhaps from the new American oak barrels in which the wine aged, but the density of the wine itself mutes any overt oak influence. The high ridges of the Santa Cruz Mountains provide an awesome view of the Pacific coast, and this wine has the potential to inspire the same sort of awe. (W&S 10/19; 4,300 cases)
Wine & Spirits Magazine | 96 W&S
From a relatively cool growing season, this is reserved on the nose, with lurking blackberry fruit and a distinct vanilla tone. While rich and opulent, it still has a tannic backbone to keep it taut. It’s not showing much complexity now but has great structure and precision. Finely balanced and concentrated, this should develop impressively. Spicy and long.
Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC
A refined, creamy red with currant, fresh-mushroom, tree-bark and light dried-tobacco character. Medium body. Firm and lightly chewy. Linear and racy red. Very tight. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 10% petit verdot and 6% cabernet franc. Drink after 2023.
James Suckling | 95 JS
