2024 Ridge - Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains Estate (750ml)

Ridge Vineyards has been making Chardonnay from its storied Monte Bello Estate since 1962, when the first vintage came from fully mature vines planted in the late 1940s. Several legendary early vintages, including 1973, 1974, 1979, and 1984, proved that the cool climate and fractured limestone subsoils of the site were ideally suited to the variety. The younger vines planted in the 1970s now provide the majority of the fruit, and the wine has carried the Ridge Estate Chardonnay designation since 2009.

The 2024 vintage is hand-harvested from estate-grown Monte Bello vineyard grapes, whole-cluster pressed, and fermented on native yeasts, with full malolactic fermentation occurring naturally before aging in oak. Winemaking follows Ridge's long-standing philosophy of minimal intervention, letting the fruit and site speak for themselves.

In the glass it's medium straw in color, with aromas of dried spices and rustic earth. The palate is full-bodied, layered, and elevated, dry with balanced acidity, showing chalky, earthy flavors that add depth and structure through to a firm, composed, and persistent finish. Critics have noted a pure, lifted bouquet backed by tastefully judged oak, broad and textural in the mouth while retaining a taut, focused core.

This mountain-grown Chardonnay pairs beautifully with roast chicken, wild mushrooms, or other savory, earthy dishes, and rewards a year or so of bottle age to fully integrate.