The wines of Montebello Road
Ridge Monte Bello Historic Vines Santa Cruz Mountains 2013 ($210): Sourced from the oldest parcels in the original Torre section of the Monte Bello Vineyard, Ridge’s 2013 Historic Vines amplifies the hushed tension typical of young wines from this property. Ethereal aromas of rosewater, pepper and dust are grounded by a kinetic tannic spine. Alluring today, the wine holds all the structural fixings that promise decades of enjoyment ahead.
Picchetti Zinfandel Picchetti Estate Santa Cruz Mountains 2014
($64.95): From the oldest vines on Montebello Road, an acre patch that dates to 1882, this Zinfandel proves that Cabernet is not the only grape that can thrive on this mountain. Fennel, orange rind, hibiscus, cola, Christmas spice — there’s both exoticism and a gratifying, warming quality here.
Arnot-Roberts Cabernet Sauvignon Fellom Ranch Santa Cruz Mountains 2014 ($95): “The forest is aromatic and alive, and it’s an austere mountaintop,” says Duncan Arnot Meyers. So much of that is captured in this expression of Fellom Ranch. Reticent at first, the wine blossoms with hallmarks of Monte Bello Ridge: blue-toned, seductively herbal flavors channeling into a beam of unyielding, laser-focused energy.
I. Brand Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello Road Santa Cruz Mountains 2014 ($65): 2014 represents Ian Brand’s first year sourcing Cabernet off Montebello Road, from the Dorcich and Vidovich properties (his 2017 comes from Fellom Ranch fruit). The wine is captivating with a taut, acidic drive and precision of flavor — fresh raspberry and smoked salt. Like the other top wines from this mountainside, this Cabernet values a restrained dynamism over a sheer show of strength.