Tom Garland

9.3

1 hour decant(little sediment). A striking deep dark magenta with bricking. On the nose: subtle seductive notes of dark red fruit, wet earth, eucalyptus, mushroom, toffee. Taste: silky, balanced, fresh, elegant wine with dark cherry, currants, leather, minerals, herbs, mint, and a earthy raspberry espresso long lingering finish. YUM! — 9 days ago

with Brenda

Ming L

9.3

I opened this 2015 after the 16’ Branaire-Ducru.

The fruits are riper and slightly jammy with plum, blueberry, and blackcurrant, but it’s the savory expression that really sets it apart. Rich palate without excessive weight with lively acidity and fresh herbal lift. Kong savory finishes. Beautiful Bordeaux blend with Napa mountain fruits. — 2 days ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.6

Deep ruby-purple in appearance. A brooding nose of cassis, blackberry, and dark plums, followed up by crushed graphite, mint, cedar pencil, and a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is full-bodied and statuesque yet supple, held together by firm, heavy tannins (7.5/10) and lively acidity. Layers of ripe black fruits, mocha, and sage are mixed with roasted earth and savory oak spice. The finish is long, plush, and persistent, marked by seamless texture, crushed stone minerality, and a lingering floral lift. Drink till 2050. — 15 days ago

with India

Shelly Duke

8.9

Drank with home-grilled Blockman’s wafting ribeyes. Delicious — 16 days ago

Graham

9.4

Amazing. This is why you wait to drink these. — a month ago

KA

9.2

Bull & Bear Orlando — a month ago

John Malcolm

9.0

Not quite as great as I was expecting. May be a bit past its prime. Tasted mostly plum and some dark berries. The finish was a bit weak. — a month ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Medium deep ruby , bright ruby rim . Exuberant and open from the first with tobacco , cedar , deep crème de cassis , violets . On the palate this is intense and richly fruited but remains really well balanced , with great freshness . Spicy creme de cassis , blackberry , grafite , really quite classic. Reminds me of St Julien with the radiance , sunshine and brightness of Napa. Fresh acidity , ripe but grippy tannins , excellent length and balance , grafite , cassis tinged finish. Lovely now , but still quite youthful, from now and over the next 10 -15 years. At Guy Savoy, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas — a day ago

Conrad Green

9.3

Lovely and bright and precise. Slate and great acidity. Quite ripe but vivacious. — 23 days ago

with Paul and Ara

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

Henry Fuseler

9.0

10/2026. Nice finish. Lingering dryness. Good fruit. — 23 days ago

Andrea Watt

9.4

Oak and cherry with cinnamon and blackberry. Bold and tannic for a Pinot. — a month ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Dark garnet color with a ruby core. Aromas of dark berry fruit, forest floor, lavender and smokey vanilla. Flavors of black cherry, blueberry and blackberry fruit with additional flavors of black licorice, baking spices, savory herbs and roasted nuts. That smokey/oaky vanilla flavor extends to the long and silky finish. More weight, heft, power and concentration than your typical Pinot Noir. The bright acidity balances this wine beautifully. Outstanding! Thanks to Kase and Petey for bringing this wine on our 2026 Cape May, NJ vacation. — 2 months ago

AEL

9.3

Great year for this one. Really layered and granular, with a light lemon note offsetting the distinct dark fruit notes. Celebrating dad and Bogie, with mom in FL. — 10 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

2021 vintage. Decanted and passed, with high air, between two decanters four times. If it were Caymus, woulda used a blender and forgotten. Last tasted 8.5.26 (9.6) Older (60's, 70's and early 80's) vintages more fruit driven which is quite the surprise in the current Napa Cab climate. Arguably the best GDL Private Reserve this estate has ever made. That goes back six decades. Supple, velveteen entry without the temptations of appearing over-extended. Structured mid-palate. A seeker's wandering, yet undeniably substantial finish. Taste it and you tell me. — 24 days ago

Conrad Green

9.5

lovely and pure. Cool fruit. Balanced. Very good — 23 days ago

with Paul and Ara

Sergio L Figueiredo

9.2

ManoLLo - Fev/2026
Cabernet Sauvignon 9
Cabernet Franc
Merlot — 7 months ago

Ming L

9.2

2013 is a great Napa Cab vintage, so I’m somewhat surprised that there is only 57% Cab in the blend.

Still quite stern and massive, I got this wall of dark fruit, tannins and extract, with acidity underneath it, but not necessarily a lot of charm. The structure softens a bit after 2 hours, revealing more fruits, herbs, and savory complexity. I think this needs another 4-5 years. — a month ago

Bonnie Chu

9.1

California eureka tasting. Single vineyard. V clean — a month ago

John Malcolm

9.8

Delicious. Dark cherries, plums, cassis. Fabulous bouquet. Opened up after a few minutes in the decanter. I have wanted to try Marcassin for a long time. I was not disappointed. — a month ago