Return to Napa; 3/6/2022-3/13/2022 (Wineries and various restaurants): The obligatory starter chard for the tasting. It’s interesting because the description of it made me think it would be very much not my style but this was less offensive than some. More honey notes. 14 months in American oak. Full malo. And yet almost a touch sweet which maybe makes it more ok (I have never minded the SQN dessert wines one of which is chard). Still not for me, but not bad.
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Drank our last bottle last night, all I can say is wow, after 10 years this was just spectacular - Deep gold, viscous, honey-like with notes of butter, toast, oak, very complex on the nose and the palate with terrific length, it was surprisingly bigger than the Ridge Estate Cab we had alongside w/14.1% alcohol, but it was remarkably balanced. Agreed there is likely no point in holding anymore but this was just a lovely example of a Santa Cruz Chard (94 Points).
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Second bottle of Ridge's 2011 Estate chard, four years later, and this has fully held up. Slight oxidation, negligible oak, minerality, length, and above all, balance.
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With Chicken kiev, brown rice, carrots. Look: yellow/yellow gold, a beautiful wine, full and bright. Smell: fruit (apricot and peach), maybe some melon. Taste: a touch of smoke, moderate to low acid, toasted oak, a joy to drink. Won't get better, so drink up.
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Popped a bottle open last evening, fearful of its condition given its age. Not to worry -- delicious, mature, elegant. I wish I still had a case of it.
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Consistent with previous bottles. Great expression of Chardonnay with minimal intervention. Not over oaked, seems like partial Malo. Balanced and delicious.
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Pop and pour. Paired with Pork Tenderloin Steaks with a Lemon and Thyme sauce. The citrus of the sauce and in the wine played very well together. This is in my wheelhouse.
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Notes of apple and, less so, pear on the palate with decent acidity. The oak and while present, is nicely integrated. (My wife, who now avoids/decries too much oak, had no complaints.) I would have liked just a touch more fruit, but overall this was elegant and enjoyable.
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- Yellow color and aromas of orange blossom, oak and cedar. It's balanced and has flavours of grapefruit and raspberry with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish.
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Pop and pour. This was good with the first sip. White fruit and honey with a touch of floral. Maybe a small hint of lemon and finishes with a touch of oak. Continue to love chard from Santa Cruz Mountains.
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Lovely medium yellow color. nose with a hint of oak and very expressive pear, citrus and green apple. Slightly buttery but very well balanced. Moderately long aftertaste that seems a little flinty at the end. This is a wonderful wine with nothing bad to say.
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Served with sautéed scallops, rice, and corn on the cob. Buttery, fruity, citrus on the nose. Clear yellow, almost a touch of gold. Nice body, touch of toasted oak, some acid to get the mouth watering. Good length. Really nice wine - went very well with the dinner.
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Light pale yellow. Clean nose of lemon, green pear, and green apple. Slightly tart and slightly spicy, firm and elegant. Medium long finish. Easy on the palate.
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Popped and drank over the next five hours. Yellow golden color. Not much on the nose. Flavors of yellow apples, oak and vanilla. Not overly acidic, which I very much appreciated. Would buy again if it were cheaper.
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Some lemon, honey, oak on the nose. Medium to medium plus in body. Only mildly acidic on entry and into the palate, somewhat diluted fruit, a little overshadowed by the oak. Some heat mingles with the acidity on its medium finish. Pretty good quality overall but some strikes against it.
I really think this is becoming my favorite CA Chard (even over Imagery). Balanced, good acid, slightly rich mouthfeel. Small hits of butter but mostly lemon notes prevail.
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Med yellow. Nutty, lemon, warm bread but overall muted. A little more expressive on the palate but overall this is dominated by fermentation and barrel flavours. Good and well balanced for drinking for some time. I would be tempted to leave it for several years but experience would suggest not too long.
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Nose of oak with taste of cedar and orange, with crisp acidity. Pale yellow. All in all, I expected a lot more. I have loved Ridge chardonnays in the past, along with other chardonnays from the Santa Cruz Mountains made by Varner and Mt. Eden. Maybe it was the vintage, but this wine seemed hollow - too much oak and not enough fruit. 14.3% alcohol.
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Wow, this was drinking well. Approachable fruit, aromatically very interesting, including something almost smoky I rarely detect in white wines. Long finish. Beautiful.
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AT Gary's Grand Tasting. Began a flight of Ridge wines, their Chardonnay is consistenly great IMO.
Medium gold/yellow color. Full bodied, ripe, citrus/tropical notes, apples, buttery oak. Classic Calif Chardonnay - you have to like the style - well made, elegant. Great now, will last a while if you care to cellar
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Ridge wines with Paul Draper (Stockholm): Nose with ripe yellow fruit - yellow apples, citrus, some tropical fruit - rather buttery oak note, some vanilla. Full-bodied, ripe citrus, yellow apple, slightly oily, good acidity, some mineral. Good balance but too me an obvious New World style, more so than my few impressions of Monte Bello Chardonnay. Drinkable now, can be cellared.
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Ridge Vineyards with Mr. & Mrs. Paul Draper: Pale gold. At first, green cabbage and a bit of bottle stink. Oak. Settles down to reveal gunflint, wet iodine stone. Good palate, surprisingly structured, yellow fruit, viscous mouthfeel, with a long, toasty, mineral finish. Very nicely balanced. Was served slightly too warm at room temperature but it didn't matter in the end. I really liked the restrained balance in this vintage, good representation of the terroir and not a trace of flabbiness. Long life ahead. 90-92/93
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At a tasting with Paul Draper in Bergen, Norway. He says this wine is made for immediate consumption. Sharp and acidic palate, but powerful. A lot of taste, a bit unbalanced towards the acidic, but it gets better with 20-30 minutes in the glass. Buttery mineral taste emerges after a short while, this wine is a firecracker. It explodes in your mouth but does not have the staying power.
50+5+9+15+7 (86)
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Medium golden yellow. Aromas of moderate oak, leather, melon and apricot. The wine is cream and tart acids in the mouth with melon, grapefruit and butter flavors. Nice presence of mineral in the background.
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Absolutely stunning Chardonnay. Drank alongside many red wines. But, to start with this chard, ridge pulls a grape to show it true colors. Bright, lush, and just comforting. Shows light tropical fruit. Melon, with a nice acidic balance.. Almost scream 2007 chablis to me.
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Showing better today than last time. Crisp nose of wet stone with a touch of smoke. This time the flavors are much more interesting and better integrated, featuring green apple, citrus and minerals. A touch of bitter caramel on the finish.
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Butter nose. Hints of apple. Considering the lack of stuffing some may thing it's over oaked, but remains pretty light on it's feet and it's no butterball. Missing a bit of the acidity and depth of the 2010. Moderate length. Overall nice, but muted and tight. Probably better in 12 mo. NR, needs time
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Tasted at Plum Market Ridge Vineyards Tasting Event. #1 of 11 Ridge wines tasted. Pre-release of 2011 vintage available for taste for the event. Buttery oak and refreshing apple crispness in perfect harmony. Finishes crisp and refreshing. Will purchase when it becomes available.
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3/11/2022 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Return to Napa; 3/6/2022-3/13/2022 (Wineries and various restaurants): The obligatory starter chard for the tasting. It’s interesting because the description of it made me think it would be very much not my style but this was less offensive than some. More honey notes. 14 months in American oak. Full malo. And yet almost a touch sweet which maybe makes it more ok (I have never minded the SQN dessert wines one of which is chard). Still not for me, but not bad.
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2/20/2022 - apg23 wrote: 87 Points
Too sharp. Lacking balance. Not a fan.
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2/4/2022 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Certainly on the back nine of life, but still had good acidity/balance. A touch of honeyed maturity/materization, but still had enough kick to count.
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1/6/2022 - Tony Ling Likes this wine: 95 Points
PNP from Coravin into Riedel tasting glass (“Flower” day): medium golden to the eyes.
Sulphurous notes that reminds me of the 1999 Bourgogne blanc tasted before.
94-95 points.
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10/26/2021 - ralaspech wrote: 89 Points
Pretty golden color, with stone fruit and integrated oak accents but seemed slightly oxidized to me--may be on the downside. Tasted at winery
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6/20/2021 - Tarrant wrote: 94 Points
Drank our last bottle last night, all I can say is wow, after 10 years this was just spectacular - Deep gold, viscous, honey-like with notes of butter, toast, oak, very complex on the nose and the palate with terrific length, it was surprisingly bigger than the Ridge Estate Cab we had alongside w/14.1% alcohol, but it was remarkably balanced. Agreed there is likely no point in holding anymore but this was just a lovely example of a Santa Cruz Chard (94 Points).
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6/13/2020 - R Z Likes this wine: 93 Points
Second bottle of Ridge's 2011 Estate chard, four years later, and this has fully held up. Slight oxidation, negligible oak, minerality, length, and above all, balance.
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11/12/2019 - PatrickO33 Likes this wine: 92 Points
White flowers, peach, apricot, Vanilla. Fresh, yet complex, simply gorgeous!
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12/12/2018 - MRichman wrote:
Very nice, steely with a bit of butter.
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8/26/2018 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 91 Points
With Chicken kiev, brown rice, carrots.
Look: yellow/yellow gold, a beautiful wine, full and bright.
Smell: fruit (apricot and peach), maybe some melon.
Taste: a touch of smoke, moderate to low acid, toasted oak, a joy to drink. Won't get better, so drink up.
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8/24/2018 - yowser wrote: 90 Points
Popped a bottle open last evening, fearful of its condition given its age. Not to worry -- delicious, mature, elegant. I wish I still had a case of it.
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2/18/2018 - Glencoewine wrote: 92 Points
Agree with Oldwines. Outstanding Chard in old world style. Elegant.
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1/18/2018 - cjsadler Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nothing much doing on the nose, but on the palate this is a mineraly, balanced joy.
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12/31/2017 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with previous bottles. Great expression of Chardonnay with minimal intervention. Not over oaked, seems like partial Malo. Balanced and delicious.
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5/19/2017 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. Paired with Pork Tenderloin Steaks with a Lemon and Thyme sauce. The citrus of the sauce and in the wine played very well together. This is in my wheelhouse.
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3/18/2017 - Zorg wrote: 89 Points
Good but the acidity could have been higher and there could have been more fruit. Not for those who are afraid of oak.
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12/12/2016 - SeaWine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Notes of apple and, less so, pear on the palate with decent acidity. The oak and while present, is nicely integrated. (My wife, who now avoids/decries too much oak, had no complaints.) I would have liked just a touch more fruit, but overall this was elegant and enjoyable.
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7/13/2016 - weisinc wrote:
- Yellow color and aromas of orange blossom, oak and cedar. It's balanced and has flavours of grapefruit and raspberry with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish.
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6/11/2016 - team-blackburn wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful balance, sad this was my last one.
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4/25/2016 - R Z Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was terrific. Not overly oaked. Refined and classy, with great length and structure. Reminded me of a very good Puligny Montrachet. Ready now.
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2/24/2016 - team-blackburn wrote: 91 Points
Nice balance
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1/19/2016 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. This was good with the first sip. White fruit and honey with a touch of floral. Maybe a small hint of lemon and finishes with a touch of oak. Continue to love chard from Santa Cruz Mountains.
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12/2/2015 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely medium yellow color. nose with a hint of oak and very expressive pear, citrus and green apple. Slightly buttery but very well balanced. Moderately long aftertaste that seems a little flinty at the end. This is a wonderful wine with nothing bad to say.
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8/1/2015 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Served with sautéed scallops, rice, and corn on the cob.
Buttery, fruity, citrus on the nose.
Clear yellow, almost a touch of gold.
Nice body, touch of toasted oak, some acid to get the mouth watering. Good length.
Really nice wine - went very well with the dinner.
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6/16/2015 - j.a.price.trucking wrote: 90 Points
No detailed notes, but wow. Was perfect with grilled sardines and grilled copper river.
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6/9/2015 - smphelps wrote: 90 Points
Light pale yellow. Clean nose of lemon, green pear, and green apple. Slightly tart and slightly spicy, firm and elegant. Medium long finish. Easy on the palate.
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3/15/2015 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and drank over the next five hours. Yellow golden color. Not much on the nose. Flavors of yellow apples, oak and vanilla. Not overly acidic, which I very much appreciated. Would buy again if it were cheaper.
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12/31/2014 - Robert Pavlovich wrote:
Some lemon, honey, oak on the nose. Medium to medium plus in body. Only mildly acidic on entry and into the palate, somewhat diluted fruit, a little overshadowed by the oak. Some heat mingles with the acidity on its medium finish. Pretty good quality overall but some strikes against it.
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11/17/2014 - sfowine wrote:
I really think this is becoming my favorite CA Chard (even over Imagery). Balanced, good acid, slightly rich mouthfeel. Small hits of butter but mostly lemon notes prevail.
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11/12/2014 - KVM wrote:
Med yellow. Nutty, lemon, warm bread but overall muted. A little more expressive on the palate but overall this is dominated by fermentation and barrel flavours. Good and well balanced for drinking for some time. I would be tempted to leave it for several years but experience would suggest not too long.
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7/17/2014 - msuwine wrote: 86 Points
Nose of oak with taste of cedar and orange, with crisp acidity. Pale yellow. All in all, I expected a lot more. I have loved Ridge chardonnays in the past, along with other chardonnays from the Santa Cruz Mountains made by Varner and Mt. Eden. Maybe it was the vintage, but this wine seemed hollow - too much oak and not enough fruit. 14.3% alcohol.
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3/1/2014 - topher2411 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow, this was drinking well. Approachable fruit, aromatically very interesting, including something almost smoky I rarely detect in white wines. Long finish. Beautiful.
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12/31/2013 - Mad Dog Mikey wrote: 92 Points
Elegant, round. Perhaps a bit more subtle cali Chardonnay than I'm used to - but still packed with flavor. Acidity was well balanced. Me like!
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12/7/2013 - MRichman wrote:
Classy with a bit of a soft side, malo, vanilla. A foot in Burgundy, a foot in California. Lovely.
B/B+
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10/3/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
AT Gary's Grand Tasting. Began a flight of Ridge wines, their Chardonnay is consistenly great IMO.
Medium gold/yellow color. Full bodied, ripe, citrus/tropical notes, apples, buttery oak. Classic Calif Chardonnay - you have to like the style - well made, elegant. Great now, will last a while if you care to cellar
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8/8/2013 - Italiana wrote: 89 Points
Light color. Good nose. Not in the buttery, rich style, but instead with a lot of nervous energy from the crisp, tart support to the fruit.
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6/25/2013 - Vintomas wrote: 89 Points
Ridge wines with Paul Draper (Stockholm): Nose with ripe yellow fruit - yellow apples, citrus, some tropical fruit - rather buttery oak note, some vanilla.
Full-bodied, ripe citrus, yellow apple, slightly oily, good acidity, some mineral. Good balance but too me an obvious New World style, more so than my few impressions of Monte Bello Chardonnay.
Drinkable now, can be cellared.
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6/22/2013 - Timbalimba wrote: 90 Points
Ridge Vineyards with Mr. & Mrs. Paul Draper: Pale gold. At first, green cabbage and a bit of bottle stink. Oak. Settles down to reveal gunflint, wet iodine stone. Good palate, surprisingly structured, yellow fruit, viscous mouthfeel, with a long, toasty, mineral finish. Very nicely balanced. Was served slightly too warm at room temperature but it didn't matter in the end. I really liked the restrained balance in this vintage, good representation of the terroir and not a trace of flabbiness. Long life ahead. 90-92/93
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6/21/2013 - Shiaxonna wrote: 86 Points
At a tasting with Paul Draper in Bergen, Norway. He says this wine is made for immediate consumption. Sharp and acidic palate, but powerful. A lot of taste, a bit unbalanced towards the acidic, but it gets better with 20-30 minutes in the glass. Buttery mineral taste emerges after a short while, this wine is a firecracker. It explodes in your mouth but does not have the staying power.
50+5+9+15+7 (86)
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5/24/2013 - sw92130 wrote: 92 Points
This is a delicious chardonnay.
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5/14/2013 - Lee Fining wrote: 91 Points
Medium golden yellow. Aromas of moderate oak, leather, melon and apricot. The wine is cream and tart acids in the mouth with melon, grapefruit and butter flavors. Nice presence of mineral in the background.
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4/29/2013 - Austin Ferrari Likes this wine: 96 Points
Absolutely stunning Chardonnay.
Drank alongside many red wines. But, to start with this chard, ridge pulls a grape to show it true colors. Bright, lush, and just comforting. Shows light tropical fruit. Melon, with a nice acidic balance.. Almost scream 2007 chablis to me.
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4/5/2013 - kosinski wrote:
Showing better today than last time. Crisp nose of wet stone with a touch of smoke. This time the flavors are much more interesting and better integrated, featuring green apple, citrus and minerals. A touch of bitter caramel on the finish.
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3/25/2013 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Beautifully soft yellow tropical fruits, soft tart grapefruit and a pleasant dose of oak. Good freshness. Excellent wine.
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3/18/2013 - mlwhitfi wrote: 90 Points
Pear, mineral, hint of lemon. Touch of brine. Oak on the finish. Reminiscent of 2007 vintage, not on par with 09 or 05 vintages.
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3/9/2013 - yossarian.livez wrote:
Butter nose. Hints of apple. Considering the lack of stuffing some may thing it's over oaked, but remains pretty light on it's feet and it's no butterball. Missing a bit of the acidity and depth of the 2010. Moderate length. Overall nice, but muted and tight. Probably better in 12 mo. NR, needs time
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3/9/2013 - kosinski wrote:
Bright and minerally with honeysuckle and other floral notes over lime and citrus. Seems over-oaked now but may integrate. Buttered popcorn nose.
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2/27/2013 - csillabu wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at Plum Market Ridge Vineyards Tasting Event. #1 of 11 Ridge wines tasted. Pre-release of 2011 vintage available for taste for the event. Buttery oak and refreshing apple crispness in perfect harmony. Finishes crisp and refreshing. Will purchase when it becomes available.
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