1974 Monte Bello

If the United States had a formal classification of estates, Ridge would be the equivalent of a First Growth. Since the late 1960s, Ridge has produced world-class wines that can compete with the best from anywhere. Longtime winemaker Paul Draper recently announced his retirement from Ridge after a storied career during which he has become one of the most eloquent ambassadors of American wine this country has ever seen. Readers who want to learn more about Draper's history at Ridge may want to revisit my article Ridge Monte Bello: Past, Present and Future published last year.

I tasted a number of the wines in this article with Draper and his team, including winemaker Eric Baugher, vineyard manager David Gates and newly-appointed CEO Mark Vernon last fall in New York during what felt very much like a farewell tour for Draper, although it was not announced as such. Ridge’s long-term organizational stability and the transition to the new team, which I have been able to watch unfold over many years, stands in stark contrast to the norm in California, where winemakers, vineyard managers and executives change jobs every few years. Of course, since 1986 Ridge has been owned by Otsuka Pharmaceutical of Japan, where business plans often span a hundred years or more. I also had a chance to taste a few older vintages during two visits to the property earlier this year. The 1970 and 1974 were both from my cellar.

Since its first commercial release in 1962, Ridge’s Monte Bello has established itself as one of the most pedigreed wines in the United States, with a track record that can comfortably stand next to the very best from around the world. For this tasting, Paul Draper, Ridge’s CEO and Head Winemaker, presented ten Monte Bellos; the five most recent vintages followed by one wine per decade going back to the 1960s, with each of the older wines chosen to represent a milestone in the estate’s distinguished history.