Ridge Vineyards
Monte Bello Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Everything is turned up to 11 here, but it genuinely works. Burnt popcorn and matchstick blew off after a while in the decanter to allow deep, just-overripe orchard fruit and lemon oil to combine with brown sugar, sweet cream, graham cracker, and coconut to come screaming out of the glass. Substantially heavy body, but with enough acidity to not come across as flabby. Dried citrus on the finish that combines with the oak to create a finish that taste like a bourbon glazed lemon pound cake. Not a wine I would want to drink more than once in a while, but beautiful for its sheer audacity. Lots of life left in this too.
Everything is turned up to 11 here, but it genuinely works. Burnt popcorn and matchstick blew off after a while in the decanter to allow deep, just-overripe orchard fruit and lemon oil to combine with brown sugar, sweet cream, graham cracker, and coconut to come screaming out of the glass. Substantially heavy body, but with enough acidity to not come across as flabby. Dried citrus on the finish that combines with the oak to create a finish that taste like a bourbon glazed lemon pound cake. Not a wine I would want to drink more than once in a while, but beautiful for its sheer audacity. Lots of life left in this too.
Jul 15th, 2020
Rich, orange and lemon honey, great acidity, fresh still. Very nice.
Rich, orange and lemon honey, great acidity, fresh still. Very nice.
Oct 31st, 2025
2012 in 8/25....sour yellow apple is the first and primary tone. Can NOT be right....off btl or did we wait a little too long?????? =( FCK!!!!!
2012 in 8/25....sour yellow apple is the first and primary tone. Can NOT be right....off btl or did we wait a little too long?????? =( FCK!!!!!
Aug 18th, 2025