Most wine lovers have heard of Ridge Monte Bello, one of California’s greatest cabernet-based wines. (And no, it’s not from the Napa Valley. It’s from the Santa Cruz Mountains, south of San Francisco.) The Ridge estate cabernet comes from the same Monte Bello Vineyard as the icon wine, from blocks that consistently produce a wine that’s more approachable.

   The 2021 estate cab displays lively red and black fruit – think cherries and red currants – accented by baking spices, hints of bay leaf and black olive, mouth-watering acidity and firm but manageable tannins.

   I am a huge fan of the Monte Bello, but the price is well over $200 these days. The estate cab is a bit less concentrated, but it offers a tremendous amount of pleasure for $90. The 2021 vintage includes 16 percent merlot in the blend.