Ridge Vineyards Estate Chardonnay

Ridge produced its first chardonnay in 1962 from fully-mature vines planted in the late 1940s on the Monte Bello estate vineyard. Production never exceeded ten barrels, and Monte Bello chardonnay was sold principally at the winery. Several great vintages, among them the 1973, ‘74, ‘79, and ‘84, showed that our cool climate and fractured limestone sub-soils were well suited to the varietal. By 1985, the old vines were producing less then a half-ton per acre and were taken out. The younger vines, planted in the ‘70s, provide the majority of grapes today. Initially these newer plantings were on the “lower” vineyard—not yet farmed as part of the Monte Bello estate—so the wine was called “Santa Cruz Mountains” and these vines have long since been included. Since 2009 the wine has been designated Ridge Estate Chardonnay.

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2019 Vintage

Significant winter rain restored groundwater on Monte Bello Estate. Cold spring weather delayed bud-break and bloom. Summer fogs further slowed ripening. Picked in early October, each parcels’ juice fermented in separate barrels. This year’s Estate Chardonnay was assembled in late July and returned to older barrels and tank for continued settling. Showing appealing fruit, it will be most enjoyable over the next seven years.

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2016 Vintage

Winter was long and cold. For a second year, crop size was reduced by spring rain at bloom. Cool weather in August slowed ripening and pushed harvest out to mid-September. Barrel fermented, the wines remained on gross lees for ten months through the end of malolactic. Once assembled, it spent another four months in the cellar to fully clarify. Showing intense mountain fruit and elegance, it is enjoyable now.