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. — 3 days ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Only made for the U.K. market. Great wine with perfectly integrated oak. Can we please have this stateside?!? — 5 months ago

Colleen Tomasello

9.4

Excellent cab! Always great from Ridge, this one is full bodied, nicely aged (still has room to age more, but wonderful right now!, wish i had a couple more) — 10 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.5

Classic. Can go another 10 years. Cigar box, pencil shavings, black currant. — 5 years ago

Egan Lim

9.0

An easy everyday Bordeaux as it’s affordable. Very fruit forward with spice but finish is lacking. — 6 years ago

Julia Reinstein

9.2

making ragu with Paolo — 7 years 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, — 21 days ago

Bruce Leboff

9.2

A big and bold Cali cab- a bit bold bordering on over the top power. A bit of California sweetness but fun to drink. Has many years left - saving the next bottle for a big juicy steak meal — 4 months ago

with Michael

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

Neal Krishna Devaraj

9.2

Great stuff — 2 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

Big and bold but polite. So very pleasant. All the plums, cherries you want with a side of vanilla. — 5 years ago

Karl Nichols

9.3

A very nice wine after 12 years in the bottle. Still lots of fruit, not over extracted, dark cherry, cassis, leather, tobacco. Agreed, it is more similar to a French style wine. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.0

Almost a 91. But a bit short. Peaches and dried nuts. A little on the viscous side and to be honest with you I really didn't know what to expect. Leaner towards the finish. If I saw this on a discount for $40, I'd buy a couple of bottles. Rearding longevity, I just don't think this one is getting any better in the bottle, so might as well drink it now. — 7 years ago

with Dan and Shay

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

Senator Tommelier

9.2

Big boy cab — 2 months ago

Kaushal Kantawala

9.2

Rich plum and dark fruit, low acidity in the mid-palate but a smooth finish. — 4 months ago

Joan Ziegler

9.2

Very smooth welcome addition to our 2025 Christmas party! What a wonderful gift that all enjoyed. Very smooth. Excellent wine.! thank you Paul. — 9 months ago

Joan Ziegler

9.4

Something spec. Try it — 4 years ago

Chris McClellan

9.0

Big tropical fruits, lemon curd, luscious, yet retains acid in the end…maybe too much vanilla cream (oak) for me, but overall delicious after dinner and segway to whiskey around the fire…. — 5 years ago

with Michael and Ryan

Chris McClellan

9.1

Young, but delicious blueberry, ripe, some jammy notes, slightly herbal and baking spices noted. But what holds all from becoming a jelly donut is the acid. Ever present acid....fun comparing merlot from 2 distinct regions... — 6 years ago