Spectrum Fine Wine Auctions Home

The September 2022 Auction: Part 4

Auction # 729 | View Auction Schedule and Details
Back to auction lot listing Back to Auction Lot Listing
Auction Ends: 9/22/2022 6:00:00 PM PDT

Lot #1233. Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 1978

Description: Consists of 1 Bottle, 0.75L
Score: 98 WA.
"This was a fabulous showing for the 1978 Monte Bello, which is another of the high points of this great decade for Ridge. The wine offers up a rich and kaleidoscopically complex bouquet of black truffles, dark chocolate, black currants, pencil shavings and Egyptian musk. On the palate, it's full-bodied, layered and complete, with ripe, melting tannins, an ample core of fruit and a long, tangy finish. It gets better and better with air. The 1978 is a touch more savory and a little less lavishly textural than the 1974, but the two are very close in ultimate quality. Connoisseurs will be interested to learn that a portion of the 1978 was rebottled due to an incomplete malolactic fermentation: antique olive bottles indicate the rebottled 1978, whereas the original bottles are in Champagne green. This tasting note refers to a pristine example of the former, but the original bottling is reputed to be even better today." William Kelley, Wine Advocate Interim, May 2018
Provenance: The Nantais Cellar
Notes: Very top shoulder, lightly scuffed capsule, heavily bin soiled label.
Read about SWA's Six Point Inspection Process and how to read the condition notes.
Lot Location: Orange County
Estimate: $425

Image Gallery



- Indicates you are the winning bidder for a specific lot.
- Indicates you are the highest bidder for a specific lot.
- Indicates you have been outbid on a specific lot.
*Price includes BP if auction is closed
^Reserve not met