2021 Monte Bello Chardonnay

Golden straw color with aromas of pear, honeysuckle, dried apricot, lemongrass, and wet stone. Full-bodied with hints of baked apple and brioche that lead to refreshing acidity and a juicy and vibrant finish. TG (4/23)

A dry, cold winter was followed by a warm spring and moderate summer. Ripening was even and balanced during a harvest that began in late August and finished three weeks later. The grapes were pressed as whole clusters, barrel fermented sur lees and barrel aged for eighteen months. This complex, seductive chardonnay will continue to develop over the next fourteen years. TG (4/23)

In the late 1940’s William Short, retired theologian and then-owner of the Ridge Torre vineyard (2070’ – 2390’), planted several acres of chardonnay, which provided the 1962 estate Monte Bello Chardonnay for the Ridge partners’ first vintage. From 1962 to 1984, four to eight barrels of chardonnay were produced each year under the Monte Bello designation. By 1985, younger, replanted vines had begun to supplant the older vines, whose yields had dropped to a quarter ton per acre and we changed the designation to Santa Cruz Mountains. By 1999, the young vines had matured; we were able to select, in most years, several exceptional parcels for a Monte Bello Chardonnay, a practice that continues to this day.

Rainfall: 14 inches (30% of normal)
Bloom: Early May
Weather: A dry winter and spring stressed the vines, limiting yields and concentrating flavors. Harvest was early, accelerated by a heat wave in early September. For the first time in our 50+ year history we finished our Monte Bello harvest before Lytton Springs.

Harvest Dates: 26 August – 8 September
Grapes: Average Brix 23.5˚
TA: 7.43 g/L
pH: 3.52
Fermentation: Grapes whole-cluster pressed and barrel fermented. Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations.
Selection: 100% Monte Bello Vineyard chardonnay parcels
Barrels: 82% air-dried American and 18% French oak barrels (18% new, 22% one year old, and 60% four years old).
Aging: Eighteen months in barrel

Hand-harvested, estate-grown, organic Monte Bello grapes; whole cluster pressed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel fermentation and aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at juice barrel down,128 ppm over the course of aging); bottled without filtration. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

OwenBargreen.com: 97 Points “Truly one of the outstanding new world Chardonnays, the 2021 ‘Monte Bello’ Chardonnay was stored in mainly American oak barrels (18% new) before bottling. This really needs about an hour to breathe. Everything is in total harmony here. Vanilla and pear notes mingle well with peaches, and shades of banana on the nose. The palate is viscous, seamless and beautifully textured, as this glides throughout the drinking experience. While quite rich, the dazzling underlying tension produces a mouth-watering effect, as the mid-palate flavor density and flavor range really drives this beauty. This has both the poise and opulence to cellar well for another fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039.” -Owen Bargreen (October 2024)

JamesSuckling.com: 95 Points “An intense, layered, chalky and mineral-driven wine that’s deep, complex and intriguing. This will age well for many years, being riven with acidity and concentrated in citrus, kiwi and savory flavors that develop from sip to sip. Wet stones, flint, grapefruit and a touch of honey pile up on the palate and linger in the finish. Medium- to full-bodied. Drinkable now, but best from 2029.” (September 2024)

Robert Parker Wine Advocate: 94 Points “The 2021 Chardonnay Monte Bello is a satisfying mix of rich, oak-induced framing and a vibrant, balanced texture. Aged in a mixture of American and French barrique, the élevage is apparent with decadent, creamy aromas outlined by notes of citrus curd and oceanic lift. The palate is toasty and ripe in the mid-palate, with hints of crunchy citric energy peering through the edges of the finish. It develops considerable richness with time in the glass, adding popcorn kernel and buttered toast notes. This is a lovely rendition of a consistently singular California Chardonnay.” -Matthew Luczy (April 2024)

Vinous Media: 94 Points “Rich, flinty and nutty, the 2021 Chardonnay Monte Bello is a voluptuous, curvaceous, rounded wine. It oozes with flickers of reduction, diving into ripe yellow plum, toasted hazelnut, sweet cream butter and a salty core of mineral tension. It could really use a bit more energy to help shoulder all that weight. Nonetheless, it’s admirable in its concentration and richness. The 2021 is an excellent, though not exceptional, edition of Monte Bello Chardonnay.” -Billy Norris (October 2024)

Wine Enthusiast: 93 Points “This is a stylistic Chardonnay that upholds its hallmarks in each vintage. Flinty aromas decorate the pear, apple and tightly grained oak touches on the nose. The palate is awash in a chalky tension that builds steadily around the apple and honeysuckle flavors, which are further cut by a tinge of citrus peel.” -Matt Kettmann (November 2024)

Average Rating: 92.7

No. of Tasting Notes: 4

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