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White dry
Ridge Chardonnay Estate 2021 is one of the distinctive examples of white wine from California's Santa Cruz Mountains region, perfectly reflecting the cool climate and the character of the vineyard. This wine is made from organically grown Chardonnay grapes harvested from the Monte Bello vineyard, renowned for its complex, long-lived wines.
The grapes are hand-picked. The cool climate, calcareous soils (limestone with clay/loam) and an elevation of 426–610 m above sea level provide an excellent setting for long, balanced ripening of the grapes.
On the nose: Ripe citrus fruits, white flowers, green apples, and a delicate hint of vanilla and oak.
On the palate: Balanced and complex — a mineral character harmonises with buttery notes, ripe fruitiness and refreshing acidity. A long, fruit-driven finish.
Fermentation was carried out using indigenous yeasts, and following malolactic fermentation the wine was aged for 15 months in barrels: 60% American (air-dried) and 40% French oak; of these, 24% new, 5% one-year-old, and the remainder two to three years old.
Serve at 10–12 °C with chicken in cream sauce, prawn salad, or aged or medium-hard cheese.
Though born in the early sixties (In 1962, Ridge made its first Monte Bello, two years later - Zinfandel) to the post-Prohibition world of modern California winemaking, Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology. Our pre-industrial approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.Interestingly, Monte Bello has often been called America’s First Growth, as it is the finest domestic example of a classic Bordeaux blend in which cabernet sauvignon predominates.
