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. — 7 hours 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

Kurt Schuster

8.9

Everybody seems to have glowing opinions of this, but mine was just a good wine and all the complexity in depth that I’m hearing about here I just didn’t get. A very good balance of strong flavors drank it across three days, dark pepper, and tobacco notes and ripe fruit and I will say without any overwhelming attendance. The structure was just incredible. Very good wine, maybe I’m just different than the other reviewers.  — 5 months ago

Michael Dierberg

9.5

This one had signs of seepage on it so I opened it planning on throwing it out. What an amazing wine and so fresh! Maybe another bottle seeped on to this one? — 7 months ago

Robert Torretti

9.1

Nice, cool-climate California Pinot Noir. Good red and dark fruits on the palate. I served it a bit too cold, but as it warmed up, the earthiness that this wine is known for came through. I don’t love California Pinot, but Rhys almost always impresses me. — 8 months ago

Matt Perlman

9.2

Very old world, savory. Beautiful — 8 months ago

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. — 24 days ago

Graham

9.2

Paired with 17 Shoe PN. Preferred the latter which is rare. Usually like the chard. Both great. — 14 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 Monte Bello pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, an intoxicating mix of exotic Eastern spices, some cocoa, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate? The wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and impeccably balanced. To my palate, this bottle has reached the age when Monte Bello starts to really become interesting. What a delight! Drink now with some air, through 2051. — a month ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.2

Golden color. Green apple and vanilla (light oak) on the palate. Age worthy. April 2026. — 5 months ago

Angelo Casagrande

8.9

Lot of dark fruit: blackberries, blueberries, and a tinge of spice. Dark, the wine smells like it tastes. Good value. — 7 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.3

Medium ruby color. Aromas of curry, cardamom, cherry and strawberry. Strawberry flavors, toasted oak, raspberry and black tea. Very interesting Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot. Bottle #32187

🏅94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
🏅93 Points - Wine Enthusiast — 7 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

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.4

Not as good as expected. A little tired. Nice tho. Day 3, so good! Time and air made this insane. Love, — 18 days ago

Graham

9.2

From 375, along with 2017 Horseshoe Chard — 23 days ago

Graham

9.2

Still a lot of tannins. Red fruit. Good acidity. Really tasty but needs a little more time. Edit - day 2/3 - really tasty. — 4 months ago

Bob Boyle

9.2

Good wine, nice depth to the fruit with long finish — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2024 CCC pours a deep, ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity, with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with attractive, fresh notes of crunchy blackberries, black plum, lavender pastilles, Kiwi fruit, black pepper, crushed rock and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and mineral laden. So fresh and easy to love. Drink now through 2034. — 6 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

One of my absolute favorite California wines. The California Latour. ‘97 is superb—vividly detailed and complex with both power and elegance. A masterful balance of fruit, tertiary character and cooling acidity with a silky palate and melting tannins. Hard to beat for a Wagyu pairing. — 7 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