Still going strong, showing a rich bouquet. Not my preferred style, but it pulls off all the notes of pear. Right at my tolerance limit for rich Chardonnay, but still delicious despite a heavier, bigger presentation.
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Well past its peak, but still tasty. The acidity has almost faded too far, but it is worth opening a bottle if you have one to try. We had two in a week - one was toast, the other was this one, which we were glad to have. But by all means don't wait any longer unless you're 100% sure about provenance...
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Wow, this is good. In a great place, wide open but still fresh and vibrant. Definitely on the richer end of things with some sweetness of vanilla and ginger, a little butter, some very deft oak, but wonderfully balanced despite all the fruit. Not a hair out of place. 92-93 pts.
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Almost like a completely different wine than my last bottle. All the finesse was gone and nothing but oak remained. Like sucking on a stick. Didn’t finish.
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This is brimming with elegance. An excellent wood and fruit balance, and a real nice change to see the wood not take the lead role in a Cali chard. Crisp acidity. Citrus, pear and melon. Prime drinking time right now.
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Wine is a bright golden color. Pretty rich looking. No oxidative browning.
On nose, citrus backbone with a smoky-nuttiness on top of it now. Blanched almond? Touch of turpentine?
On palate, wine is sound. Rich, not very acidic, long finish. Palate matches nose with emphasis on that smoky-nuttiness. Just magnificent! Not intricate like a Kistler or an Aubert, rather more of clear and powerful wine.
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On video chat with Jean Charles Boisset. Exceptionally well kept bottle. Fresh and snappy, some flintiness. Medium plus body, spice. Fresh poached tree fruit, not showing too much nuttiness at all.
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This bottle was one of my best stored and it showed. Yes it's big, round, and buttery, but the flavours are so pure and loud it's hard not to like. Nectarine, pineapple, and guava with baking spice and a touch of toffee. A bit of sunshine in the dark British winter.
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Citrus and toasted butterscotch nose. Oak is present on the palette, but balanced and not overpowering the fruit. Decent acidity, lemony butter and finishes nicely. A decent chard, but as is normal for Cali, probably priced over similar quality that is out there to be found.
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Not entirely dissimiliar to my previous note. Big and fleshy with lots of buttery oak. Ripe mango and peaches, spice is integrated, just a touch of alcoholic heat. Really is a particular style at this point and will continue to enjoy these with roast chicken.
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Like a California grand cru Chardonnay. Lots of ripe orchard fruit but still maintains a strong vein of minerals accented by well integrated oak. High density and very aromatic.
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Served with chicken cordon bleu, asparagus, wild rice. Yellow gold, reminiscent of a German auslese. Decanted 30 minutes prior to serving. Nose has oak and a touch of lemon. On tasting, initially smooth but the oak and acid rapidly make their presence known. Unbalanced. The oak is not pleasant, and a little bitter. It took 3 hours for the oak to subside. The score reflects the improvement with time. Not one of Ridge's best.
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Quite rich, this bottle needed some time open to calm down. Yellow fleshy fruits and cream, the oak was pretty massive on this one. Dense and unctuous, there was a touch of alcoholic heat on the finish. Settles a bit with time and then rather pleasanty full bodied, but definitely a more uneven bag here.
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We're back on the right territory. Strangely the neck level of this bottle was quite low and was causing concern. How delightfully surprised we were when the bottle was open! Ripe citrus with touches of tropical fruit, this had lots of oak spice, but was wonderfully integrated and there were even mineral touches throughout. The balance was really singing here. I would still recommend drinking sooner as the bottle variation is likely to mean some will be sullen while others will be dazzling.
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Swampy at pop n pour. Hazelnut, aldehyde. Aldehyde goes away with a little time open. Palate still shows some oak spice. Receding, but still apparent in a greener wood grain note. Cheerios. Green Cheerios. 30 minutes open and this really firms up. Looses its initial laziness. Still, a more evolved example, but way in the pocket, opens up. Spice, Chinese five spice, but also some heavy grain notes to the finish. Day 3 and lost a lot of verve. Grainy without and barrel spice. Graham cracker palate without the snap to balance it out. Shows some butteriness to the finish, a little sherried too. Could be an advanced bottle, but I’d say drink up.
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Unfortunately this bottle felt a bit hot and the weight of this wine is growing a bit too much. The acidity is there, but the butter is piling up and the fruit has gone from citrus, to stone fruit, and now verging into tropical territory. Still a very well crafted beast, but headed in a style that is not my preference (though there is a place for it). The longevity of these is seriously in question for me.
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This bottle was considerably forward and veering on the big and rich side of the spectrum. Peaches and cream with tropical flirtations and creme caramel on the finish, it's opulent and dense, but still a good representation of this style. I'm not sure if this was unique to the particular bottle or a sign that these are becoming too big for their britches. I prefered the ripe, but elegant, characteristics they previously showed.
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Really peaking with ripe stone fruits with hints of tropical and citrus fruit. Evident oak, but not on the buttery hand cream spectrum. Adds a real nice spice and still has that speck of pine I love on this so much. There is actually tannic structure here, which makes it quite unique and adds to the sense of power, but the finish is so smooth, drawn out, and crystalline it's hard to put this in a box. California Chardonnay? Absolutely? Typical? Hardly.
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Original note 12/31/17: 85pts. Light gold color. Followed one glass for 3+ hours. This was by far the most disappointing wine of the evening. We had a very similar experience to bjscmidt. This was just a mess of oak with little to no fruit showing on the nose or palate. Seemed like it was reductive on top that . Wood, alcohol, burnt barrels, vanilla on the palate. At the 3 hour point, there was at least some pear and minerality showing, but still underwhelming. Put it this way, I had no interest in drinking it. Maybe this get better, but at five years...
3/3/18 Addendum: File this under the FWIW heading. This is the SAME bottle of wine. I've had this vacuumed and in the fridge since opening on 12/31/17, found the bottle tonight and thought I'd see if it was any good or more likely if it was fit for cooking. Surprisingly, to say the least, this was in good shape and drinking far better now than it had on opening some 62 days later. So you're probably thinking I'm out of my mind, and maybe I am, but that's beside the point. I'm not saying, I'm just saying, I really do like this now. The nose pleases with apple and stone fruits, butter, and a stone note of minerality. The palate is rich and and textured, juicy apple and pear with hints of some pineapple in the background, buttery, but not so over the top, and some wood spice on a long invigorating finish. No doubt this is California chardonnay, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how well this rounded out and became balanced given its completely dishevelled initial showing; not to mention that this held together for over 2 months - go figure. Gave my wife a glass and told her we opened this on NYE and hated it, and she stared at me and said "no way." So I have no idea how to calibrate 62 days vacuumed in the fridge to the aging curve, but the additional "years" sure made a difference - maybe that was a hypothetical 5 years?. Easily 91pts now.
This bottle was opened together with the one that i scored 83 p. Same wine, but totally different. Fresh aromas of clean fruit, smoke and some oak. Fresh fruit on the palate. Appears younger than the previous bottle.
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This hasn't evolved considerably since my last note. Still showing a core of orchard fruits with some orange blossom and toffee tinged pineapple. Sturdy, yet bright, this combines the herbaceousness of Chardonnay with the ripe fruit of California and some really nice acidity. I find the oak gives this a toasty pine quality, but I do think a dashing of minerality would add depth.
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New Years Eve (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Light gold color. Followed one glass for 3+ hours. This was by far the most disappointing wine of the evening. We had a very similar experience to bjscmidt. This was just a mess of oak with little to no fruit showing on the nose or palate. Seemed like it was reductive on top that . Wood, alcohol, burnt barrels, vanilla on the palate. At the 3 hour point, there was at least some pear and minerality showing, but still underwhelming. Put it this way, I had no interest in drinking it. Maybe this get better, but at five years...
Addendum: File this under the FWIW heading. This is the SAME bottle of wine. I've had this vacuumed and in the fridge since opening on 12/31/17, found the bottle tonight and thought I'd see if it was any good or more likely if it was fit for cooking. Surprisingly, to say the least, this was in good shape and drinking far better now than it had on opening some 62 days later. So you're probably thinking I'm out of my mind, and maybe I am, but that's beside the point. I'm not saying, I'm just saying, I really do like this now. The nose pleases with apple and stone fruits, butter, and a stone note of minerality. The palate is rich and and textured, juicy apple and pear with hints of some pineapple in the background, buttery, but not so over the top, and some wood spice on the finish. No doubt this California chardonnay, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how well this rounded out and became balanced given its completely dishevelled initial showing; not to mention that this held together for over 2 months - go figure. Easily 91pts now.
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Medium golden in color, with apple, stone fruit, and oak aromas. The palate shows rich, full bodied apple, pear, and melon flavors that persist through the finish.
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Served with sautéed scallops, risotto, tomato salad. Good color - yellow gold. Nose had pear, but not much else. Very oaky on palate - overwhelming the fruit. Things got marginally better after time. Perhaps a flawed bottle?
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After a few years of cellaring the wine got very excellent. Smooth and mineral with light citrus notes. Very light but constant buttery notes within the last drop combined with caramel. One of my favorite Chardonnays !
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Restrained tropical fruit (if that's possible) gives was to a creamy orchard fruit mid-palate. Hints of pine needles and some more exotic herbal notes, this has layered depth and restrained power. Ripe yet nicely textured and some really fine acid. These have staying power.
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Ripe California nose of orange blossom and apricot, but the palate also shows plenty of citrus peel and creaminess from the oak. Very much like a California interpretation of Meursault, the oak is toasty and well integrated. Slight richness on the back mid palate is countered by some very Burgundian acidity. Very good and will only get better.
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First night nice fruit, good acidity, way to much oak. Hence, 1/2 the bottle left over and much bettre the next night. Still pretty oaky but drinkable with some pleasure. Give it a year or two for the next bottle.
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Bold, golden color. Expected to be bothered a little bit by alcohol and ripeness as was the case when we opened another bottle a year ago, but alas the fruit's calmed down, the acid's more evident and the presentation overall quite even and compelling. You've gotta like oak, though.
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Very solid showing here, this bottling keeps raising the game year after year. Balanced and poised with lemony overtones, as it warmed it became richer and better - serve next bottle less chilled. Delightful and good QPR.
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First time trying Ridge's Chardonnay. I found it to be very good, but not a lot more than that – just didn't seem too memorable (beyond being a well-made California Chardonnay with integrity), which is a shame given how much respect I have for Paul Draper and his estate. Perhaps the Monte Bello is worth trying – I'm just not sure. Don't think I'd pay $40 for this again.
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Second Sunday Group: 2000 Bordeaux (R&D's): Nonblind, tasted from a bottle our hosts had opened the previous night. Apple and vanilla with a buttery oaky undertone. There's a slight toastiness too, along the lines of marshmallow. Nice fruit and toast on the palate with a long finish. Very good but I think this still needs some time to integrate the oak.
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Major disappointment. Received this by mistake from wine.com instead of 2012 Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay. Way too ripe, flabby, with insufficient acidity. Didn't improve over several hours of breathing. Could shed some oak fat over the next year or two, but I am not seeing how this could improve significantly with cellaring. So much for Ridge's restrained style.
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Excellent oaked chardonnay combining rich mellon, stone fruit, pear and tropical scents with roasted nuts and butter. Full-bodied, creamy-textured, rich and balanced with a long aftertaste. Now+5 years.
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Delicate oak combined with ripe pear in a repealing way. Complex layers of crushed stone minerality, cream and hay. Spicy, full bodied on the palate with liquorice as the main flavour. Long finish of fat and nestle.
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Sorry. I have had many of these, even had some graciously replaced by Ridge. Poured from 375ml and couldn't drink. Awkward at best. I have never had this experience with Ridge.
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Very green hue; waxy nose, malo, nutty, tart green fruit; good richness and texture on the palate though it needs some time to settle- should be very good when it does.
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Bright yellow. Nose of lemon curd, brioche, white flowers, and spice from American oak. Ripe fruit but, benefiting from the mountain vineyard, balanced by welcome acidity and structure. Drink now through 2020.
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Pop and pour - note after about an hour. Toasted brioche and popcorn on the nose. Citrus fruit on the palate. A bit rounder and more buttery than I expected.
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Clean, balanced, restrained chardonnay. Mostly lemon profile. Not much oak evident. Bright. Could get better if the acids integrate some and more nuance develops. But nice right now.
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37th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2010s (R&D's): Aromas of banana, coconut and orchard fruit. Coconut and toasted oak on the palate. Full-bodied and round, with a toasted finish. Decent fruit, but right now the oak dominates- best to let this sit a couple of years. Drink from 2017+.
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Company Wine tasting (The Hide): Nice golden colour - the nose there was bundles of fruit. On the palate were tropical fruits but woah... the oak. Maybe my palate is note a fan of american oak - but it became more and more noticeable. Interestingly the group absolutely love this... I'm more neutral about it. Probably unbalanced in the quality/price war towards price.
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Not for the chablis lover. I think that point has already been made. Not my style either, but in attempting to evaluate this wine in terms of what it wants to be, it's a great new world expression of California chardonnay fruit. Big California fruit impeccably balanced with oak and acidity. Uses the California climate to produce a chardonnay that could never be made in France. Enjoyable for what it is, unashamed of it's heritage. The real pleasure of this wine is the long well balanced finish.
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Sorry to bring such a score to such a typically wonderful producer, but from the nose to the taste, it was disjointed. Seemed over oaked and sweet and too much fruit. Sorry.
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Sonoma Winter WINEland 2015 (Sonoma): N: Candied orange cream, bit of wax, med- nice oak integration. Something funky. Bit of dark hazelnut. rye toast crust. Spritz of lemon. P: Really nice. Strong, clean acidity (lactic). L+ body, really nice oak integration. Lemon curd, orange, hazelnut. Long finish, hint of lemon at the end. Nice wine. Score: Around 9.
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PHMG WAG: Ridge Vineyards (Monte Lyon): Served with pear, Havarti, and a reduced balsamic drizzle, this wine will please most Cal Chard lovers. It reflects the pear and the creaminess of the cheese and there's decent acidity to hold up to the balsamico. Tropical fruit, apple, and oak to be sure (hence the wide score variations). If you're a Chablis fan you already know you don't belong in this glass!
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I was very impressed with this at the Winery but it now seems that was a spark of the moment and it felt more like a standard New World Chardonnay. A rather muted nose with notes of coconut, vanilla and tropcial fruit. A bit heavy and overoaked and with a slightly bitter aftertaste (which disappeared the second day though). Overall nothing to complain about but nothing to get too exited about either.
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This is a lovely, well balanced santa cruz mountain chard. Tropical fruit and a little butterscotch, but not in a heavy handed way. I think this wine is under appreciated and a relative bargain at <$45.
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Golden color. Medium intensity nose of green fruits (apple,) tropical fruits(banana), and autolytic notes. Full and smooth body, with medium acidity. Medium finish. Very good.
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I have to confess: I am a Ridge Montebello fanboy, therefore I had to try this when I saw it at one of my favorite shops.
With no clue, what to expect, I was surprised. In a positive and negative way. Positive: It's rather complex. Negative: In the beginning way to buttery. And then it becomes very smokey. That smoke supersedes everything else. What a pity, as there seems to be quite a lot of interesting stuff behind that penetrating smoke tones.
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Very good. Enjoyed with mushroom ravioli in butter sauce. Precise, good acidity - I have found this a little too acidic in the past but with the food it worked well and allowed the subtle buttery / oaky character to shine through. A good village burgundy at a good price...
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Chris would drink this every night if he could. While very well balanced between fruit, oak and acid, I still find it very hard to pair anything with. Not sure if that is due to its angular youth or my own crazy tastebuds. Stand alone, it is a winner, though.
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Light yellow; powerful nose, green apple, vanilla; powerful full attack, almost overwhelming, appearing slightly unbalanced; long aftertaste; nice, but high power, perhaps receding with age?
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A great California Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay. Lots of pear and tropical fruit and good acidity. Perfectly balanced Works really well just out of the cellar at 58 degrees.
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A Visit to Ridge, Monte Bello Estate: Definitely leaning to the lighter crisper style. The nose isn't terribly powerful at this stage, but should open up with a little more bottle age. Nose of lemon oil, custard, almond, buttered pastry, honeydew melon and just a little bit of a tropical edge with hints of pineapple. Palate shows a sweet vanillin entry transitioning to a lovely overripe honeydew melon mid palate and solid, lengthy, creamy finish. Very nice start.
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Ridge Vineyards with Doug, Jo, and Chad (Santa Cruz, CA): In the glass: pale straw, day bright, medium viscosity. Nose: Youthful, appealing nose of tropical fruit, melons, nicely-integrated oak. Secondary aromas of yoplait (suggestions of lemon-curd). In the mouth, fruit-forward, med+ body, med+ acidity, well-integrated. ~9
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Yellow gold colored. Mild citrus, stone and melon. The body is medium/full. The wine has polished texture and nice acidity to offset the density California chardonnay keeping it light on its feet. Wine shows with oak well integrated but the wood is not overt as I sometimes sense in CA whites. Curious how it evolves but really enjoyable now.
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Ridge (At the Lytton Springs tasting room): 25 % new american oak, the remainder 1-2 yr old barrels. Very fine nose, perhaps some ripe tropical fruit and some buttered popcorn, but also some truffel pungency and mineral tones, this is very fine. Perhaps a tad bit short on the finish, but nice cali chard!
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Not sure what to make of this one. Initially kind of wan flavors, with herbal aromas and a hot finish, it seemed to pick up some weight in the glass, but never really smoothed out.
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Restrained nose of pear. A hint of lemon, apple and just the slightest toast. Soft and rich without being overdone. Medium acid. Medium body. Modest finish. Not as tart, deep or structured as the 2010 or 2011, but a stand up, not overdone cali chard. Give it a year or two and maybe it'll open up more, but not a long cellar.
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A Tasting at Ridge (Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs Estate): Rich aromatics with apple, florals and just a hint of coconut. The palate opens with coconut and a soft toast, then orchard fruit and a hint of citrus. Long finish. 92-93 pts.
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Toasty aromas of caramel apple and cinnamon with floral notes. On the palate it appears young and closed, with spicy notes of pineapple and lychee. Quite structured with good texture and acidity. Very ageworthy and in fact needs a few years to reach its potential.
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High toned, keyed up oak on the nose at pop and pour, more tropical, banana fruit than the 2010. Lots of clarity next to the 2010. after most of the way through this about 5 hours later, a keen clove and mint aroma. tense and confidant. am i starting to like my chardonnay on the younger side? to be told... Day 2. Shows much more pleasing cut from the acid, relative to the 2010. More mineral too. Shortbread cookie on the finish.
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Tasted at Ridge Geyserville. Medium golden/straw color. Beautiful and exotic nose of citrus, honeysuckle, pineapple, a touch of butter and some popcorn, but also some minerality. On the palate there are beautiful notes of ripe fruits again (pear, pineapple), a touch of butter and minerality. It's medium-full bodied with medium-high acidity providing freshness. Great lemgth. Year after year a great Chardonnay at a still affordable price. It combines bold Californian fruit with an almost European texture and freshness.
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drank it too young? it has heft, layers of fruit; def well made - can age. enjoyed it but felt it wasnt as expressive and more monlithic than i expected
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11/24/2022 - catowne1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still going strong. Ridge makes such impressive, long lasting Chardonnay.
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2/4/2022 - blanquito wrote:
Still going strong, showing a rich bouquet. Not my preferred style, but it pulls off all the notes of pear. Right at my tolerance limit for rich Chardonnay, but still delicious despite a heavier, bigger presentation.
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7/21/2021 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Well past its peak, but still tasty. The acidity has almost faded too far, but it is worth opening a bottle if you have one to try. We had two in a week - one was toast, the other was this one, which we were glad to have. But by all means don't wait any longer unless you're 100% sure about provenance...
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2/20/2021 - blanquito wrote:
Wow, this is good. In a great place, wide open but still fresh and vibrant. Definitely on the richer end of things with some sweetness of vanilla and ginger, a little butter, some very deft oak, but wonderfully balanced despite all the fruit. Not a hair out of place. 92-93 pts.
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8/28/2020 - AlfrdGrz Likes this wine: 88 Points
Opened it 30 min before the first sip. Well balance, great structure, low acidity.
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7/3/2020 - sethebarlow Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Almost like a completely different wine than my last bottle. All the finesse was gone and nothing but oak remained. Like sucking on a stick. Didn’t finish.
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6/30/2020 - davo22 wrote: 91 Points
This is brimming with elegance. An excellent wood and fruit balance, and a real nice change to see the wood not take the lead role in a Cali chard. Crisp acidity. Citrus, pear and melon. Prime drinking time right now.
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5/31/2020 - tak4 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured.
Wine is a bright golden color. Pretty rich looking. No oxidative browning.
On nose, citrus backbone with a smoky-nuttiness on top of it now. Blanched almond? Touch of turpentine?
On palate, wine is sound. Rich, not very acidic, long finish. Palate matches nose with emphasis on that smoky-nuttiness. Just magnificent! Not intricate like a Kistler or an Aubert, rather more of clear and powerful wine.
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4/18/2020 - snsharma Likes this wine: 88 Points
Quick notes: Drinkable, even on day 2 but nothing special. Past its peak.
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4/17/2020 - sethebarlow Likes this wine: 92 Points
Complex and well-integrated notes of nuts, baked fruit and toffee. Leaner than I was expecting, but still lively will more time ahead of it.
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4/17/2020 - nzinkgraf wrote:
On video chat with Jean Charles Boisset.
Exceptionally well kept bottle. Fresh and snappy, some flintiness. Medium plus body, spice. Fresh poached tree fruit, not showing too much nuttiness at all.
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1/26/2020 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 91 Points
This bottle was one of my best stored and it showed. Yes it's big, round, and buttery, but the flavours are so pure and loud it's hard not to like. Nectarine, pineapple, and guava with baking spice and a touch of toffee. A bit of sunshine in the dark British winter.
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11/29/2019 - cweiss wrote:
Thanksgiving. Oak has become much better integrated. Still plenty of attractive fruit. Daria loved it.
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11/20/2019 - Cha-Cha-Chung Likes this wine: 90 Points
I really enjoy this. Nutty and fruity, balanced acid, oak and rs. Beautiful color.
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10/25/2019 - davo22 wrote: 89 Points
Citrus and toasted butterscotch nose. Oak is present on the palette, but balanced and not overpowering the fruit. Decent acidity, lemony butter and finishes nicely. A decent chard, but as is normal for Cali, probably priced over similar quality that is out there to be found.
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9/29/2019 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not entirely dissimiliar to my previous note. Big and fleshy with lots of buttery oak. Ripe mango and peaches, spice is integrated, just a touch of alcoholic heat. Really is a particular style at this point and will continue to enjoy these with roast chicken.
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8/17/2019 - mattdathan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful wine - drank next to a 2016 Ridge Chardonnay and was so much richer and deeper with the age.
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7/28/2019 - beerenauslese Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tropical yet complex.
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4/5/2019 - poppacork Likes this wine: 93 Points
Like a California grand cru Chardonnay. Lots of ripe orchard fruit but still maintains a strong vein of minerals accented by well integrated oak. High density and very aromatic.
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3/30/2019 - bjschmitt wrote: 85 Points
Served with chicken cordon bleu, asparagus, wild rice.
Yellow gold, reminiscent of a German auslese.
Decanted 30 minutes prior to serving.
Nose has oak and a touch of lemon.
On tasting, initially smooth but the oak and acid rapidly make their presence known. Unbalanced. The oak is not pleasant, and a little bitter. It took 3 hours for the oak to subside. The score reflects the improvement with time. Not one of Ridge's best.
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3/9/2019 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 89 Points
Quite rich, this bottle needed some time open to calm down. Yellow fleshy fruits and cream, the oak was pretty massive on this one. Dense and unctuous, there was a touch of alcoholic heat on the finish. Settles a bit with time and then rather pleasanty full bodied, but definitely a more uneven bag here.
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12/30/2018 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 91 Points
We're back on the right territory. Strangely the neck level of this bottle was quite low and was causing concern. How delightfully surprised we were when the bottle was open! Ripe citrus with touches of tropical fruit, this had lots of oak spice, but was wonderfully integrated and there were even mineral touches throughout. The balance was really singing here. I would still recommend drinking sooner as the bottle variation is likely to mean some will be sullen while others will be dazzling.
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12/29/2018 - Clrv wrote: 89 Points
Drink now if you have them. I did not take formal notes but this is just past it prime and falling fast.
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12/22/2018 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Swampy at pop n pour. Hazelnut, aldehyde. Aldehyde goes away with a little time open. Palate still shows some oak spice. Receding, but still apparent in a greener wood grain note. Cheerios. Green Cheerios. 30 minutes open and this really firms up. Looses its initial laziness. Still, a more evolved example, but way in the pocket, opens up. Spice, Chinese five spice, but also some heavy grain notes to the finish.
Day 3 and lost a lot of verve. Grainy without and barrel spice. Graham cracker palate without the snap to balance it out. Shows some butteriness to the finish, a little sherried too. Could be an advanced bottle, but I’d say drink up.
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12/3/2018 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 89 Points
Unfortunately this bottle felt a bit hot and the weight of this wine is growing a bit too much. The acidity is there, but the butter is piling up and the fruit has gone from citrus, to stone fruit, and now verging into tropical territory. Still a very well crafted beast, but headed in a style that is not my preference (though there is a place for it). The longevity of these is seriously in question for me.
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9/10/2018 - Seanwsmithm3 Likes this wine: 87 Points
A little ripe and flabby compared to the excellent 2011 served next to it.
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9/8/2018 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle was considerably forward and veering on the big and rich side of the spectrum. Peaches and cream with tropical flirtations and creme caramel on the finish, it's opulent and dense, but still a good representation of this style. I'm not sure if this was unique to the particular bottle or a sign that these are becoming too big for their britches. I prefered the ripe, but elegant, characteristics they previously showed.
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6/2/2018 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really peaking with ripe stone fruits with hints of tropical and citrus fruit. Evident oak, but not on the buttery hand cream spectrum. Adds a real nice spice and still has that speck of pine I love on this so much. There is actually tannic structure here, which makes it quite unique and adds to the sense of power, but the finish is so smooth, drawn out, and crystalline it's hard to put this in a box. California Chardonnay? Absolutely? Typical? Hardly.
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5/8/2018 - MuskokaWC wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable, balanced wine at ideal maturity.
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4/3/2018 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ridge’s own tasting note nails it - ripe yellow fruit, but with vibrant acidity. Not electric, but nicely balanced and lively.
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3/3/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Original note 12/31/17: 85pts. Light gold color. Followed one glass for 3+ hours. This was by far the most disappointing wine of the evening. We had a very similar experience to bjscmidt. This was just a mess of oak with little to no fruit showing on the nose or palate. Seemed like it was reductive on top that . Wood, alcohol, burnt barrels, vanilla on the palate. At the 3 hour point, there was at least some pear and minerality showing, but still underwhelming. Put it this way, I had no interest in drinking it. Maybe this get better, but at five years...
3/3/18 Addendum: File this under the FWIW heading. This is the SAME bottle of wine. I've had this vacuumed and in the fridge since opening on 12/31/17, found the bottle tonight and thought I'd see if it was any good or more likely if it was fit for cooking. Surprisingly, to say the least, this was in good shape and drinking far better now than it had on opening some 62 days later. So you're probably thinking I'm out of my mind, and maybe I am, but that's beside the point. I'm not saying, I'm just saying, I really do like this now. The nose pleases with apple and stone fruits, butter, and a stone note of minerality. The palate is rich and and textured, juicy apple and pear with hints of some pineapple in the background, buttery, but not so over the top, and some wood spice on a long invigorating finish. No doubt this is California chardonnay, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how well this rounded out and became balanced given its completely dishevelled initial showing; not to mention that this held together for over 2 months - go figure. Gave my wife a glass and told her we opened this on NYE and hated it, and she stared at me and said "no way." So I have no idea how to calibrate 62 days vacuumed in the fridge to the aging curve, but the additional "years" sure made a difference - maybe that was a hypothetical 5 years?. Easily 91pts now.
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1/12/2018 - AudunG wrote: 88 Points
This bottle was opened together with the one that i scored 83 p. Same wine, but totally different. Fresh aromas of clean fruit, smoke and some oak. Fresh fruit on the palate. Appears younger than the previous bottle.
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1/12/2018 - AudunG wrote: 83 Points
Chardonnay aromas with some oak and warm plastic notes. Soft and lush on the palate with low acidity. Rather simple, and not very concentrated.
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1/4/2018 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 91 Points
This hasn't evolved considerably since my last note. Still showing a core of orchard fruits with some orange blossom and toffee tinged pineapple. Sturdy, yet bright, this combines the herbaceousness of Chardonnay with the ripe fruit of California and some really nice acidity. I find the oak gives this a toasty pine quality, but I do think a dashing of minerality would add depth.
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12/31/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 85 Points
New Years Eve (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Light gold color. Followed one glass for 3+ hours. This was by far the most disappointing wine of the evening. We had a very similar experience to bjscmidt. This was just a mess of oak with little to no fruit showing on the nose or palate. Seemed like it was reductive on top that . Wood, alcohol, burnt barrels, vanilla on the palate. At the 3 hour point, there was at least some pear and minerality showing, but still underwhelming. Put it this way, I had no interest in drinking it. Maybe this get better, but at five years...
Addendum: File this under the FWIW heading. This is the SAME bottle of wine. I've had this vacuumed and in the fridge since opening on 12/31/17, found the bottle tonight and thought I'd see if it was any good or more likely if it was fit for cooking. Surprisingly, to say the least, this was in good shape and drinking far better now than it had on opening some 62 days later. So you're probably thinking I'm out of my mind, and maybe I am, but that's beside the point. I'm not saying, I'm just saying, I really do like this now. The nose pleases with apple and stone fruits, butter, and a stone note of minerality. The palate is rich and and textured, juicy apple and pear with hints of some pineapple in the background, buttery, but not so over the top, and some wood spice on the finish. No doubt this California chardonnay, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how well this rounded out and became balanced given its completely dishevelled initial showing; not to mention that this held together for over 2 months - go figure. Easily 91pts now.
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11/25/2017 - scott davis wrote: 90 Points
Medium golden in color, with apple, stone fruit, and oak aromas. The palate shows rich, full bodied apple, pear, and melon flavors that persist through the finish.
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10/1/2017 - bjschmitt Does not like this wine: 83 Points
Served with sautéed scallops, risotto, tomato salad.
Good color - yellow gold.
Nose had pear, but not much else.
Very oaky on palate - overwhelming the fruit. Things got marginally better after time.
Perhaps a flawed bottle?
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7/25/2017 - SAP Likes this wine: 92 Points
After a few years of cellaring the wine got very excellent. Smooth and mineral with light citrus notes. Very light but constant buttery notes within the last drop combined with caramel. One of my favorite Chardonnays !
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7/6/2017 - Winiac Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Sweet, round and caramely, yet hot and off balance.
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4/14/2017 - Mordent Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely golden color. Fruit and oak in the nose. Syrup in the mouth. Just the right amount of oak on the palate. Long-lasting mellow finish.
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3/26/2017 - Cmainardi wrote: 90 Points
For those who enjoy the California style of Chardonnay, this was excellent. Not overly oaky or buttery but smooth and enjoyable.
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3/13/2017 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Restrained tropical fruit (if that's possible) gives was to a creamy orchard fruit mid-palate. Hints of pine needles and some more exotic herbal notes, this has layered depth and restrained power. Ripe yet nicely textured and some really fine acid. These have staying power.
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12/26/2016 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ripe California nose of orange blossom and apricot, but the palate also shows plenty of citrus peel and creaminess from the oak. Very much like a California interpretation of Meursault, the oak is toasty and well integrated. Slight richness on the back mid palate is countered by some very Burgundian acidity. Very good and will only get better.
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12/3/2016 - martin_e Likes this wine: 93 Points
Expressive, buttery Chardonnay, but at the same time very smooth. Loved it!
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10/27/2016 - cweiss wrote:
First night nice fruit, good acidity, way to much oak. Hence, 1/2 the bottle left over and much bettre the next night. Still pretty oaky but drinkable with some pleasure. Give it a year or two for the next bottle.
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10/25/2016 - Neecies Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bold, golden color. Expected to be bothered a little bit by alcohol and ripeness as was the case when we opened another bottle a year ago, but alas the fruit's calmed down, the acid's more evident and the presentation overall quite even and compelling. You've gotta like oak, though.
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7/25/2016 - zoeldar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very solid showing here, this bottling keeps raising the game year after year. Balanced and poised with lemony overtones, as it warmed it became richer and better - serve next bottle less chilled. Delightful and good QPR.
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7/7/2016 - Nojomoschwa Likes this wine: 90 Points
First time trying Ridge's Chardonnay. I found it to be very good, but not a lot more than that – just didn't seem too memorable (beyond being a well-made California Chardonnay with integrity), which is a shame given how much respect I have for Paul Draper and his estate. Perhaps the Monte Bello is worth trying – I'm just not sure. Don't think I'd pay $40 for this again.
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5/1/2016 - UTPK wrote:
First bottle corked, next one perfect. Heavy oaky nose, no doubt you are in US. Good acidity though, but the high alcohol spoils the wine a bit.
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4/10/2016 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2000 Bordeaux (R&D's): Nonblind, tasted from a bottle our hosts had opened the previous night. Apple and vanilla with a buttery oaky undertone. There's a slight toastiness too, along the lines of marshmallow. Nice fruit and toast on the palate with a long finish. Very good but I think this still needs some time to integrate the oak.
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2/6/2016 - Slaz Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Major disappointment. Received this by mistake from wine.com instead of 2012 Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay. Way too ripe, flabby, with insufficient acidity. Didn't improve over several hours of breathing. Could shed some oak fat over the next year or two, but I am not seeing how this could improve significantly with cellaring. So much for Ridge's restrained style.
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1/29/2016 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent oaked chardonnay combining rich mellon, stone fruit, pear and tropical scents with roasted nuts and butter. Full-bodied, creamy-textured, rich and balanced with a long aftertaste. Now+5 years.
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1/29/2016 - Bobhelge wrote:
Delicate oak combined with ripe pear in a repealing way. Complex layers of crushed stone minerality, cream and hay. Spicy, full bodied on the palate with liquorice as the main flavour. Long finish of fat and nestle.
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1/25/2016 - Steve Brickley Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Sorry. I have had many of these, even had some graciously replaced by Ridge. Poured from 375ml and couldn't drink. Awkward at best. I have never had this experience with Ridge.
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1/9/2016 - LIE-user wrote: 86 Points
Feels like drinking butter oil.
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11/24/2015 - iDrum4Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aromas of honeysuckle and dried apricot lead to yellow apple and slight creamy flavors. Lovely balance and a lingering finish.
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11/17/2015 - Rezy13 wrote:
Very green hue; waxy nose, malo, nutty, tart green fruit; good richness and texture on the palate though it needs some time to settle- should be very good when it does.
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9/30/2015 - rlove wrote: 89 Points
Bright yellow. Nose of lemon curd, brioche, white flowers, and spice from American oak. Ripe fruit but, benefiting from the mountain vineyard, balanced by welcome acidity and structure. Drink now through 2020.
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8/24/2015 - RayOB wrote: 91 Points
Drank at Bob Bob Ricards
Not as Oaky as I was expecting with lots of fruit and butter on the nose. Rich mouth coating palate.
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8/5/2015 - ruchottalex Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good, solid chardonnay with good depth and fruit. A little more on the oaky side for my personal preference but it's a great example to that style.
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7/10/2015 - Box57 Likes this wine:
PAL = 3
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7/8/2015 - cookie7 wrote: 89 Points
Pop and pour - note after about an hour. Toasted brioche and popcorn on the nose. Citrus fruit on the palate. A bit rounder and more buttery than I expected.
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6/30/2015 - blanquito wrote: 90 Points
Clean, balanced, restrained chardonnay. Mostly lemon profile. Not much oak evident. Bright. Could get better if the acids integrate some and more nuance develops. But nice right now.
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6/27/2015 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
A very clean and elegant wine with lemon zest and crushed rocks on the nose. The finish is smooth with toasted oak and spice. A solid effort.
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6/19/2015 - Dan Holmes Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not a Burgandy style at all. Warm, round fruit, not oaky, but still southern in feel. Cozy.
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5/24/2015 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
37th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2010s (R&D's): Aromas of banana, coconut and orchard fruit. Coconut and toasted oak on the palate. Full-bodied and round, with a toasted finish. Decent fruit, but right now the oak dominates- best to let this sit a couple of years. Drink from 2017+.
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5/15/2015 - kwaky wrote: 89 Points
Company Wine tasting (The Hide): Nice golden colour - the nose there was bundles of fruit. On the palate were tropical fruits but woah... the oak. Maybe my palate is note a fan of american oak - but it became more and more noticeable. Interestingly the group absolutely love this... I'm more neutral about it. Probably unbalanced in the quality/price war towards price.
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3/13/2015 - rwstorer wrote: 90 Points
Similar note to previous
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2/23/2015 - mike l. Likes this wine: 90 Points
this does a lot of things right and will last at least a couple more years although it will evolve.
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2/10/2015 - BalthazarVonBratwurst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Absolutely fantastic. Amazing finesse, complex and fresh palate. Definitely one of the best chardonnays in California.
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2/8/2015 - Mspiggy wrote: 91 Points
Pear notes
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2/6/2015 - melzar wrote: 91 Points
Not for the chablis lover. I think that point has already been made. Not my style either, but in attempting to evaluate this wine in terms of what it wants to be, it's a great new world expression of California chardonnay fruit. Big California fruit impeccably balanced with oak and acidity. Uses the California climate to produce a chardonnay that could never be made in France. Enjoyable for what it is, unashamed of it's heritage. The real pleasure of this wine is the long well balanced finish.
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1/22/2015 - Steve Brickley Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Sorry to bring such a score to such a typically wonderful producer, but from the nose to the taste, it was disjointed. Seemed over oaked and sweet and too much fruit. Sorry.
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1/18/2015 - RajivAyyangar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sonoma Winter WINEland 2015 (Sonoma): N: Candied orange cream, bit of wax, med- nice oak integration. Something funky. Bit of dark hazelnut. rye toast crust. Spritz of lemon.
P: Really nice. Strong, clean acidity (lactic). L+ body, really nice oak integration. Lemon curd, orange, hazelnut. Long finish, hint of lemon at the end. Nice wine.
Score: Around 9.
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1/17/2015 - Grinner wrote: 90 Points
PHMG WAG: Ridge Vineyards (Monte Lyon): Served with pear, Havarti, and a reduced balsamic drizzle, this wine will please most Cal Chard lovers. It reflects the pear and the creaminess of the cheese and there's decent acidity to hold up to the balsamico. Tropical fruit, apple, and oak to be sure (hence the wide score variations). If you're a Chablis fan you already know you don't belong in this glass!
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12/13/2014 - Mascarello59 wrote: 88 Points
I was very impressed with this at the Winery but it now seems that was a spark of the moment and it felt more like a standard New World Chardonnay. A rather muted nose with notes of coconut, vanilla and tropcial fruit. A bit heavy and overoaked and with a slightly bitter aftertaste (which disappeared the second day though). Overall nothing to complain about but nothing to get too exited about either.
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11/16/2014 - Necowine wrote: 87 Points
Solid wine. Cocoanut, marshmallow, but not sweet, goupy, or oaky. Balanced acid. Solid.
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11/16/2014 - winelover1808 wrote: 90 Points
very good. plenty of fruit, oak and rounded acidity.
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11/15/2014 - Ali wrote: 91 Points
This is a lovely, well balanced santa cruz mountain chard. Tropical fruit and a little butterscotch, but not in a heavy handed way. I think this wine is under appreciated and a relative bargain at <$45.
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11/14/2014 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Golden color. Medium intensity nose of green fruits (apple,) tropical fruits(banana), and autolytic notes. Full and smooth body, with medium acidity. Medium finish. Very good.
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11/5/2014 - LIE-user wrote: 88 Points
I have to confess: I am a Ridge Montebello fanboy, therefore I had to try this when I saw it at one of my favorite shops.
With no clue, what to expect, I was surprised. In a positive and negative way. Positive: It's rather complex. Negative: In the beginning way to buttery. And then it becomes very smokey. That smoke supersedes everything else. What a pity, as there seems to be quite a lot of interesting stuff behind that penetrating smoke tones.
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10/31/2014 - trulowine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Fruktig, hvite blomster, honning, litt smøraktig, tropisk frukt. Svak eik i utgangen. Flott i dag, blir nok enda bedre om 3 år.
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10/30/2014 - Kelly Hollingsworth Likes this wine:
Subtle notes of apricot, peach and butter. Nice body and length but the alcohol overpowers a bit. We enjoyed it with pesto ravioli.
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10/17/2014 - lozatron wrote: 89 Points
Very good. Enjoyed with mushroom ravioli in butter sauce. Precise, good acidity - I have found this a little too acidic in the past but with the food it worked well and allowed the subtle buttery / oaky character to shine through. A good village burgundy at a good price...
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10/13/2014 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:
Chris would drink this every night if he could. While very well balanced between fruit, oak and acid, I still find it very hard to pair anything with. Not sure if that is due to its angular youth or my own crazy tastebuds. Stand alone, it is a winner, though.
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10/5/2014 - MRichman wrote:
Tasting at Ridge Lytton Springs (Ridge Lytton Springs): Lovely, good acid, restrained & balanced. Just a little bit of modern CA chardonnay style, but not over the top. Very good.
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9/14/2014 - CJM Likes this wine: 88 Points
Clear pale straw. creme bruele, vanilla, pear, honeydew. Low acids, low tannins. Apricot. Medium balanced finishl
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9/10/2014 - Miceri Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light yellow; powerful nose, green apple, vanilla; powerful full attack, almost overwhelming, appearing slightly unbalanced; long aftertaste; nice, but high power, perhaps receding with age?
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9/6/2014 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:
very well balanced. A pleasure to drink.
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8/25/2014 - aaronfeigin Likes this wine: 92 Points
A great California Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay. Lots of pear and tropical fruit and good acidity. Perfectly balanced Works really well just out of the cellar at 58 degrees.
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8/20/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 91 Points
A Visit to Ridge, Monte Bello Estate: Definitely leaning to the lighter crisper style. The nose isn't terribly powerful at this stage, but should open up with a little more bottle age. Nose of lemon oil, custard, almond, buttered pastry, honeydew melon and just a little bit of a tropical edge with hints of pineapple. Palate shows a sweet vanillin entry transitioning to a lovely overripe honeydew melon mid palate and solid, lengthy, creamy finish. Very nice start.
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8/9/2014 - RajivAyyangar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ridge Vineyards with Doug, Jo, and Chad (Santa Cruz, CA): In the glass: pale straw, day bright, medium viscosity.
Nose: Youthful, appealing nose of tropical fruit, melons, nicely-integrated oak. Secondary aromas of yoplait (suggestions of lemon-curd). In the mouth, fruit-forward, med+ body, med+ acidity, well-integrated. ~9
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7/25/2014 - Q's Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yellow gold colored. Mild citrus, stone and melon. The body is medium/full. The wine has polished texture and nice acidity to offset the density California chardonnay keeping it light on its feet. Wine shows with oak well integrated but the wood is not overt as I sometimes sense in CA whites. Curious how it evolves but really enjoyable now.
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7/22/2014 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ridge (At the Lytton Springs tasting room): 25 % new american oak, the remainder 1-2 yr old barrels. Very fine nose, perhaps some ripe tropical fruit and some buttered popcorn, but also some truffel pungency and mineral tones, this is very fine. Perhaps a tad bit short on the finish, but nice cali chard!
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6/27/2014 - Italiana wrote:
Not sure what to make of this one. Initially kind of wan flavors, with herbal aromas and a hot finish, it seemed to pick up some weight in the glass, but never really smoothed out.
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6/5/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 88 Points
Buttery white fruit; palate is clean, crisp, but simple. 88
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5/25/2014 - yossarian.livez wrote: 89 Points
Restrained nose of pear. A hint of lemon, apple and just the slightest toast. Soft and rich without being overdone. Medium acid. Medium body. Modest finish. Not as tart, deep or structured as the 2010 or 2011, but a stand up, not overdone cali chard. Give it a year or two and maybe it'll open up more, but not a long cellar.
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5/7/2014 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at winery after vineyard tour and barrel samples. This has tropical/coconut notes with a spicy finish. Beauty.
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5/7/2014 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
A Tasting at Ridge (Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs Estate): Rich aromatics with apple, florals and just a hint of coconut. The palate opens with coconut and a soft toast, then orchard fruit and a hint of citrus. Long finish. 92-93 pts.
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4/4/2014 - kosinski wrote:
Toasty aromas of caramel apple and cinnamon with floral notes. On the palate it appears young and closed, with spicy notes of pineapple and lychee. Quite structured with good texture and acidity. Very ageworthy and in fact needs a few years to reach its potential.
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3/26/2014 - MRichman wrote:
Tasting at Ridge Lytton Springs (Ridge Lytton Springs): Broad, smooth with soft yeast, light vanilla. Light and very nice.
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3/24/2014 - nzinkgraf wrote:
High toned, keyed up oak on the nose at pop and pour, more tropical, banana fruit than the 2010. Lots of clarity next to the 2010. after most of the way through this about 5 hours later, a keen clove and mint aroma. tense and confidant. am i starting to like my chardonnay on the younger side? to be told...
Day 2. Shows much more pleasing cut from the acid, relative to the 2010. More mineral too. Shortbread cookie on the finish.
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3/11/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at Ridge Geyserville. Medium golden/straw color. Beautiful and exotic nose of citrus, honeysuckle, pineapple, a touch of butter and some popcorn, but also some minerality. On the palate there are beautiful notes of ripe fruits again (pear, pineapple), a touch of butter and minerality. It's medium-full bodied with medium-high acidity providing freshness. Great lemgth. Year after year a great Chardonnay at a still affordable price. It combines bold Californian fruit with an almost European texture and freshness.
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3/1/2014 - winelover1808 wrote: 90 Points
drank it too young? it has heft, layers of fruit; def well made - can age. enjoyed it but felt it wasnt as expressive and more monlithic than i expected
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