Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Ridge Vineyards — Estate Chardonnay 2023
Monte Bello Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
100% Chardonnay from Ridge’s Monte Bello Estate, high in the Santa Cruz Mountains and strongly influenced by the cool Pacific. The exceptionally long, cool 2023 growing season preserved freshness and varietal character, while barrel fermentation followed by nine months on the lees added texture and dimension. At 14.1% ABV, it carries surprising substance without sacrificing its cool-climate identity.

Aromas & Flavors
Fresh lemon, yellow apple, pear, citrus blossom, and subtle stone fruit unfold gradually, joined by mineral notes, gentle vanilla, and restrained barrel nuances. Air brings out additional layers without turning the wine overtly oaky.

Mouthfeel
Beautifully texturized yet remarkably fresh. Bright acidity provides tension while lees aging gives the mid-palate a gentle creaminess and polished weight. It keeps evolving after opening, moving between delicacy, mineral energy, and increasingly expressive fruit.

Food Pairings
Excellent alone, but equally comfortable with scallops, lobster, grilled halibut, roasted chicken, mushroom risotto, or richer seafood preparations. Its combination of acidity and texture lets it pivot effortlessly between sipping and serious cuisine.

Verdict
A fascinating expression of mountain-grown California Chardonnay. Delicate yet substantial, refreshing yet textural, it demonstrates how a cool Pacific-influenced site can deliver ripeness without sacrificing precision or energy.

Did You Know?
Monte Bello sits high above Silicon Valley on the Santa Cruz Mountains ridge, with vineyards exposed to significant Pacific influence. Ridge notes that 2023 was one of its longest and coolest recent growing seasons; the extended harvest helped preserve acidity while allowing slow flavor development—the tension you can genuinely feel in this Chardonnay.

🍷 Personal Pick
This sits comfortably among my favorite coastal-influenced Northern California Chardonnays. What gets me is the evolution: refreshing and delicate at first, then progressively more textural and expressive as it opens. It has enough finesse to enjoy completely on its own and enough structure to sit beside fine cuisine. That versatility, without losing its cool-climate personality, is what makes this one special. — 4 days ago

Chris Albin

Winemaker, Azari Vineyards Winemaker, Corskcrew Wines

8.9

Lean, fresh, olive-y. Acid drives the palate with some tannin in there as well. Despite that it could use some electricity or majesty from the lean-ness of fruit or time in bottle, this is still a very good wine. — 6 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.

Complex on the nose, and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate and soft.

Showing cherries, plums, currants, light oak, tobacco leaf, herbs, black pepper, chocolates, light vegetables, Indian spices, licorice and black tea.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious 13 year old Pinot Noir from Santa Cruz Mountains in California. Drinking beautifully now, elegant and fruit forward. Nicely balanced and soft. Complex with a nice mouthfeel.

This Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, from the great 2013 vintage, is drinking at its peak now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years.

A good sipping wine that will pair nicely with food too. Loved the low alcohol level too.

12.8% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$80. — 8 months ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Last had 4 years ago and was excited to check in - this didn’t disappoint. That perfect ridge mix of old world sensibility and composition with new world fruit and character. 13.8%. Finish is long with nice acid. Great pairing with steaks. Nice wine.

Happy New Year! — 9 months ago

David Shaw

9.0

First bottle I’ve opened of this vintage. Ruby red, moderate pigment extraction, very good clarity. Strawberry and barrel notes in nose. Strawberry, cherry in mouth with good fruit length, good acid, delightfully light on the alcohol. Slight seed and skin tannins on finish, aftertaste. Light bodied. Worth reading up about online — 4 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.4

We absolutely love this and is drinking beautifully now. Dark fruits, licorice, asian spices, garrigue, velvety tannins enveloped in a medium bodied wine that is body and elegance. We think its the best wine of Rhys and they do some outstanding pinot noir there :) — 5 years ago

with Adriana

Roberto Carli

9.5

This is a wonderful expression of Santa Cruz Mountain Cab, caught in a state of absolute grace. I might be lucky with the specific bottle but it's really shining through like a mini superstar. Small red and black fruits are still preserved in a dusty state, in harmony with the emerging leather, pipe tobacco, and graphite, strikingat great balance between freshness and complexity. The nose is giving a preview of the palate, where the canines show completely evolved, silkyyet substantial. Again, lucky me, because it's in a state of grace. — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a purple rim.

Beautiful nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee and light green vegetables.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This iconic Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Santa Cruz Mountains in California is still very young, but already delicious, even by itself.

Needs a few hours to open up properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 30 years. Showing good potential to become a 95+ point wine.

A great sipping wine that paired beautifully with my Lamb chops.

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged in American oak barrels for 20 months.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$300. — 3 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Another solid vintage of this NZ Sauvy B. Bright golden color with green highlights. Aromas of citrus, fresh herbs/grass and tropical fruit. Flavors of grapefruit, lime,passion fruit with a mix mineral/wet stone based backbone. Distinct saline note on the long and crisp and clean finish. Bright acidity and medium body and alcohol (13.5%). Solid freshness and precision. Enjoyed with Asian food at Youyu in the Hard Rock in Atlantic City. — 7 months ago

Tyler Felous

9.0

This was fine, better on day 2. Nice citrus undertones to a darker fruited pinot. Better in 5 more yrs — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; consumed over two days and there was little in way of development over the course of those two days. The 2019 Sandlands Carignane “CCC” is packed with character…but there is a catch: it needs considerable more time to really deliver all the goods. The wine pours a deep ruby with a purple hue. Medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is drop dead gorgeous with notes of fresh, ripe dark fruits, a bouquet of red flowers, cumin, spiced meats, and crushed gravel. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium(+?) tannins and medium(+?) acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium with a somewhat austere, mineral finish. Honestly, I feel like the structure is “dominating the room” at this point and needs more time to settle in. But when it does…and it will…folks who have been patient will be duly rewarded. Hold. If I had more, I wouldn’t touch until after 2027. — 3 years ago

Dave Parker

9.1

Almost unfair to rate it at this point. Too soon. It will likely be very special in a handful of years. — 5 years ago

Robin Gerber

Partner Spotlight Brands

9.5

Tried this vintage a year ago and it was really good but tonight is in its prime. Sad it’s my last bottle. — 7 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.6

Laid this down in 2020 and opened for the occasion of my new great nephew Julian Rhys ! Drinking perfectly with the richness of almost a decade of age. Forgot how good this can be. — a month ago

Zach D

9.1

Pours a purple hue with some fading at the rim; aromas of black and red fruit; raspberry, blackberry, some dark cherry, and cassis; palate with good acidity, congruent with the nose; there is a bit of vanilla clove baking spice oak on the palate. Alcohol is moderate at 13.5; I like the wine, and I don’t drink a whole lot of American wines. The oak influence should be more delicate in my opinion, as the fruit is pretty elegant. It overwhelms a bit, and holds it back. I have doubts that this aspect will improve with bottle age, but I have another couple bottles and will leave in the cellar as an experiment. — 2 months ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.3

Great as always. Burg in Cali w a touch more ripeness. — 6 months ago

romo

9.3

Some poopy bret blew off in 30 mins and revealed a sheer dress of leafy brown spice. Likely peaked at 15 years. — 8 months ago

Tyler Felous

9.0

4th wine of BYOB blind. Very light with a slight effervescence, leading us to call this as a natty pinot. Was surprised it was such a classic. Have had Mt Eden Pinot before and this was not in the same neighborhood of depth/forest floor. Alas, not my favorite vintage — 3 years ago

Lee Lightfoot

8.9

Level of press juice in this wine more evident with age still a delicious appellation wine in a good drinking window — 5 years ago

with Alex

Graham

9.3

Finally finishing this bottle after almost a week in the fridge. Damn straight good. Glad a have a few to follow. — 6 years ago