About Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello
Ridge Vineyards has made single-vineyard wines since 1962, and Monte Bello is its home estate, high on Montebello Road in the northern Santa Cruz Mountains above Cupertino. The Perrone vineyards sit at about 2,700 feet, and the ridge is often wrapped in fog. Ridge is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Rhône varieties, and its flagship wine carries the Monte Bello name. The company also runs tasting rooms at Lytton Springs in Healdsburg and in Paso Robles.
The Monte Bello tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and every tasting is booked ahead. In 2026 the 90-minute Estate Tasting, a seated flight of five single-vineyard wines for up to six people, costs $35 per person. The Private Library Tasting ($90, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.) sets current and older vintages side by side. From April through October, wine club members can book the two-hour Summit tour ($150), which drives over rough ground to the Perrone vineyards and the historic Monte Bello winery before a seated tasting.
This is a quiet, adults-only stop: every guest must be 21 or older, picnics and outside food are not allowed, and dogs must stay home because of rattlesnakes (service animals are allowed). A non-drinking driver can be booked into the party at no charge.
Deerhaven Herb & Flower Farm, a family lavender farm that distills its own oil, is south in the same mountains near Santa Cruz, about an hour away on winding roads. Its goods are sold online and through local shops, so check before planning a farm stop.
What to do
- Book the seated Estate Tasting of five single-vineyard wines ($35 in 2026)
- Compare current and older vintages in the Private Library Tasting, 11 a.m. or 2 p.m.
- Ride out to the 2,700-foot Perrone vineyards on the members' Summit tour, April through October
- Arrange a prepaid wine pickup by reservation
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Tasting room open year-round; Summit vineyard tour April through October
- Hours
- 2026: daily 11 a.m.–5 p.m., tastings by reservation
- Admission
- 2026: Estate Tasting $35 per person; Private Library Tasting $90; Summit Monte Bello $150 (members only)
Good to know
- Age
- 21 or older to taste or drink alcohol
- Dogs
- Service animals only
- Reservations
- Required
Tips for your visit
- Arrive on time; tastings start promptly and late arrivals get a shortened visit
- Book your designated driver with the winery's DD option, which sets their fee to $0
- No picnics or outside food are allowed, so eat before or after the drive up
- Leave dogs at home; the property has rattlesnakes
Pair it with a lavender farm
Deerhaven Herb & Flower Farm · about 60 minutes away
Deerhaven's lavender farm near Santa Cruz is about an hour south through the mountains; check how to buy or visit before you combine the two.
Getting there
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Ridge Monte Bello?
Yes. All tastings are by reservation.
Can I bring kids or dogs?
No. All guests must be 21 or older, and dogs are not allowed because of rattlesnakes; service animals are permitted.
Can I picnic at Ridge?
No. Picnicking and outside food are not allowed.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Santa Cruz & the Santa Cruz Mountains, California
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
