2006 Monte Bello Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
The 2006 Chardonnay Monte Bello is drinking incredibly well today. A rich, unctuous white that’s loaded with notions of ginger snap, toasted nuts, orchard fruits and hints of brioche; it’s a serious, big, concentrated beauty that stays fresh and lively.
Critic scores
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Released 2009. Quite toasty nose – definitely not burgundian savour nor matchstick, definitely California – but with excellent acidity. Salty note. Very substantial wine, with more weight than finesse. Very distinctive. (JR)
The 2006 Chardonnay Monte Bello possesses striking energy and tension throughout, with finely-cut, chiseled fruit and remarkable freshness for its age. White orchard fruit, flowers, mint and a hint of spice add nuance, but it is the wine's pulsating freshness that really makes an impression in this tasting. Ridge hit it out of the park with the 2006 Monte Bello Chardonnay. As good as the 2006 is, it appears to still need a little more bottle age to be at its peak!
Lemony gold with a hint of green. Lots of minerals on the nose. Very rich start and then it’s all reined in. So it can be rather like a Grand Cru burgundy on the front palate. Really tangy, superripe melon notes with a hint of milky coffee on the end. Very neat and precise but much broader and bigger than most Chardonnays. Sweet but not heavy. (JR)
About the producer
Best known for its iconic Monte Bello, Ridge Vineyards makes some of California’s finest wines – particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Long a pioneer of sustainable farming and minimal-intervention winemaking, Ridge makes an extensive range from Sonoma County and the Santa Cruz Mountains.