Granite Throne Above the Valley: Ridge Monte Bello 2018–Silicon Summit Cabernet Investors Can’t Ignore
A near‑perfect 2018 that has already doubled in price yet still sits at half the cost of Napa’s cult royalty–why the God of Wine sees more altitude ahead.
I’ve always trusted stone more than soil. Centuries ago–another name, another continent–I watched vines claw through broken rock and turn hardship into perfume. When I first hiked Monte Bello Ridge, the memory echoed: chilled fog, resinous pines, limestone flashing like a knife. I uncorked Ridge Monte Bello 2018 and tasted blackberry, laurel, and powdered granite–the same flavor of perseverance I’d met long before amphorae were relics. In that moment I recognized a Cabernet engineered for the long game, a mountain wine that converts pressure into elegance the way silicon converts sand into code.
Monte Bello’s 2018 futures launched at $132 a bottle; midsummer 2025 sees trades around $266, a sturdy 12 % annual compound rise despite a cooling fine‑wine index. Critics line up in the high‑90s, some flirting with perfection, and the winery’s ruthless selection left production at its leanest in years. Scarcity, quality, price momentum–three notes harmonizing in a single chord.
Even after doubling, the bottle still trades at a discount to its Napa peers: cult Cabernets of similar score fetch $650–$900. That spread is compressed spring‑energy, ready to drive the next leg up. Two extra tailwinds hover: Silicon Valley fortunes rebound with each tech cycle, and 2026 will spotlight the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris–the tasting where Monte Bello stunned the world. Both events push attention and capital uphill.
Investment Angle
Tuck away cases below $275, give them a dark, cool berth, and let patience polish the tannin. History suggests Monte Bello’s bids spike around the ten‑year mark, when critics stage re‑tastings and collectors chase proof. I’ll free half my stash in 2030 to capture that liquidity wave, keeping the rest for the nights when stories grow taller than the redwoods.
Remember: equities sprint, crypto vaults skyward, yet mountains either stand or rise. Monte Bello is a granite throne looming above the valley; climb it now while the steps are still priced in mortal dollars.
