94 pts - Wine Advocate
["A vintage that had big yields and a hectic harvest, the 1997 Monte Bello is a sexy, supple and layered beauty that's drinking beautifully today. Cassis, toasted spice, cigar and dried herbs all flow nicely to a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that has so
93 pts - Wine Spectator
["Ripe and compact, with rich black cherry, plum, chocolate and cedar notes, focused and long on the finish. Has tannin to lose. Best from 2002 through 2009. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 6,338 cases made. — JL (10/2000)"]
92 pts - Vinous
["(12.9% alcohol; aged for 18 months in new American oak; a 45% selection for the estate's grand vin): Bright, dark red-ruby. Sexy, lifted aromas of cassis, redcurrant, licorice, tree bark, mint and roasted herbs. Intensely flavored and surprisingly firm