Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

vintage 2015 | Sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Well structured and beautiful ripened Tuscan. Paired with Côte de Boeuf. At La Provence Zaltbommel. — 16 days ago

Steve Collins

9.3

High qpr super Tuscan, this was under $30 @ costco — 14 days ago

Freek Welter

9.7

Best of the batch! — 22 days ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.2

@ our annual ‘winter’-BBQ… 😎

Next to Iberico ribfingers…! — a month ago

Hiroshi Tominaga

9.2

Rich, black cherry. Great. Bought at Enoteca for ¥6,800. — 2 months ago

Inseon Hwang

9.0

Solid Bru. Cedar, leather and tobacco. — 2 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

8.9

Dark ruby color with a slight brick rim. Aromas of cherry, bramble berries, leather, orange zest and dusty earth. Flavors of black cherry/berry/raspberry/plum fruit, blueberries, tobacco and savory spices. Intense earthy quality on the long finish. Mouth watering acidity and very silky tannins. Medium-plus body. A bit of heft and intensity. Solid weeknight option. — 5 months ago

Sean D. Duncan

9.5

Really liked, almost loved. Drank with my wife on her birthday. She's not normally a red wine drinker, but she really liked this bottle. I bought another bottle a couple of years newer - I hope it's as good! — 8 days ago

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. — a month ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

Vintage 2003 | Spicyness, concentration and elegance, a delicate ripened Chianti | paired with broccoli noodles and a fennel saucage @romo good things come to those who dare to wait 😉 — a month ago

P Plusquellec

9.7

Hard to find a flaw — 2 months ago

Lyn Farmer

9.3

Deep Ruby color with intense black fruit aromas of cassis, black cherry, blackberry, violet, vanilla, cedar and crushed stone minerality. Light eucalyptus, forest floor, cigar box and graphite. Well balanced tannin and acidity though the wine feels a bit over-extracted. Delicious but a little heavy. Lots of room for development. — 4 months ago

John Berghoff

9.3

Little guy — 5 months ago

George Hesse

9.0

Still solid!!! — a day ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

vintage 2024 | Single vineyard, 60-80 y old vines, production 5000 bottles. 16-18 m barrel aging. Great structure, but if you have it in the cellar… keep it there 3-5 years. Too tannic now. — 7 days ago

Andrea Watt

9.2

Oak, blackberry, leather, and spice. Dark, tannic, and bold. — 21 days ago

Mark Hammack

9.0

At Truluck’s with the Harrisons. Must have been good. April 2017 — a month 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, — 2 months ago

AEL

9.0

This is a serious wine - understated, tannic, alot going on. Agree w other reviewers that this vintage may be a bit young to crack open - didn't feel fully integrated yet. — 2 months ago

Mark Mannebach

9.2

Peach citrus upfront with a nice mineral finish — 5 months ago