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2016 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountain Estate Chardonnay

JD 95

JS 94

VN 93

WS 92

WA 91+

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2016 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountain Estate Chardonnay, 750ml

RATINGS

95Jeb Dunnuck

...fabulous wine is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage... Loaded with stone fruit and white flower nuances as well as some reductive qualities, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, beautiful purity, and high yet integrated acidity.

94James Suckling

Impressive grapefruit and pithy lemon aromas here. Really fresh and complex. The palate has the same pithy yellow-citrus emphasis with attractive tension and depth.

93Vinous / IWC

...gorgeous. Rich, deep and pliant... Lemon confit, white flowers, chamomile, lightly honeyed notes and a touch of reduction all ring out in this super-expressive, inviting Chardonnay from Ridge.

92Wine Spectator

A full-bore style, with a rich, smoky aroma and flavors to match, along with pear and apple tart notes. The long finish is filled with plenty of oak accents that feature some buttery hints.

91+ The Wine Advocate

...notes of fresh pear, preserved lemon, nutmeg and subtle spice. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and expansive, with a broad, textural attack, good balancing acidity and a pure, mineral-inflected finish.

PRODUCER

Ridge

Ridge Vineyards is a multi-estate enterprise with vineyards and wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Sonoma County and Paso Robles. It is a leader in organic, sustainable winemaking and is the largest grower of certified organic grapes in the appellations of Sonoma County and the Santa Cruz Mountains. The business was founded in 1959 when three Stanford Research Institute engineers bought an abandoned winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The vineyards had been planted in the late 19th century by a San Francisco physician who produced his first vintage in the original winery, called Monte Bello, in 1892. The first Ridge vintage was in 1962. For more than 50 years Ridge’s winemaker and CEO was Paul Draper, a legendary figure in California winemaking. Draper retired in 2016 and Ridge veteran Mark Vernon became CEO. Each winery has its own winemaker. Ridge makes Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Rhone style wines. Robert M. Parker Jr. writes that Ridge “is undeniably one of California’s top wineries.”

REGION

United States, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

Santa Cruz Mountains AVA includes high elevation territory in the counties of Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo. The AVA follows the coast line from San Francisco to Monterey with elevations from 400 feet to 3,000 feet above sea level. There are 1,500 vineyard acres and the AVA was established in 1981. Despite the challenging terrain in these rugged mountains and hills, highly esteemed wineries have been located here since the early 20th century, when Paul Masson, a Frenchman by birth, started making sparkling wine in the area. By the 1970s vineyards were growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Numerous microclimates within the AVA offer viticulturists diverse growing conditions, and many varietals are grown successfully.

TYPE

White Wine, Chardonnay

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.