2008 Ridge Chardonnay Monte Bello
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Tasting notes
It may sound hard to believe, but the 2008 Chardonnay Monte Bello is still remarkably young. With time in bottle the wine has begun to acquire weight and more tropical notes that have taken on greater expression in bottle. Ripe pear, pineapple, honey and chamomile give the 2008 much of its exotic, weighty personality. This broad, structured Chardonnay has enough depth and freshness to drink well for another decade. Winemaker Eric Baugher opened the 2008 next to the 2013 because he views the vintages as similar. Two thousand eight was the middle year in the previous drought cycle.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Bright yellow. Pungent aromas of pear and peach nectar, with complicating notes of smoky lees and lemon pith. Mineral-accented pit and orchard fruit flavors shows impressive depth and clarity, picking up spiciness and a touch of bitter quinine on the back half. Rich but balanced and fresh, finishing with excellent clarity and persistent spiciness.
The 2008 Chardonnay Monte Bello emerges from the glass with layers of rich, varietal fruit supported by firm minerality and just a touch of French oak. The Monte Bello spends an additional three months in neutral oak and therefore also sees more stirring of the lees, yet it remains fresh, vibrant and beautifully focused all the way through to the finish.
The 2008 Chardonnay Monte Bello emerges from the glass with layers of rich, varietal fruit supported by firm minerality and just a touch of French oak. The Monte Bello spends an additional three months in neutral oak and therefore also sees more stirring of the lees, yet it remains fresh, vibrant and beautifully focused all the way through to the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018. I tasted a breathtaking array of wines during my recent visit with Paul Draper at Ridge. Draper is a true American icon, so it’s great to see him doing well after a bout with illness. I also tasted a number of older wines, including several Monte Bellos going back to the 1970s. Heretical as it may sound, I think the wines Draper is making today will prove to be far superior to the wines of decades past, many of which are rightly considered legendary. For ease of reference I have also included notes on all of the Ridge wines made outside the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Chardonnays are fermented with native yeasts and go into barrel with their gross lees, which are stirred once a week. The malos usually start the following spring. The wines are assembled just before the following harvest and go back into neutral oak. Aging is about 15 months for the Estate and 17 months for the Chardonnay Monte Bello, with a maximum of 25% new barrels. The reds are fermented with ambient yeasts, undergo malolactic fermentation in tank (except for the Monte Bello which is mostly done in barrel) and stay on their gross lees until the following spring. Tel. (408) 867-3233; Fax (408) 868-1350. www.ridgewine.com
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.