2024 Estate Chardonnay

Complex aromas of clementine marmalade, white peach, and orange blossom. The palate shows pineapple, guava, and a hint of coconut, supported by good texture and balanced acidity. Subtle ginger and kumquat lift the finish. LL (12/25)

High winds during flowering reduced yields by twenty percent. In late August a week of warm weather pushed ripeness forward. All seven small blocks were harvested the first week of September in just three days. Well defined, with ripe fruit and citrus notes typical of Monte Bello, this mountain-grown Chardonnay will develop fully over six years. JO (11/25)

Ridge produced its first Chardonnay in 1962 from fully-mature vines planted in the late 1940s on the Monte Bello Estate vineyard. Production never exceeded ten barrels, and Monte Bello Chardonnay was sold principally at the winery. Several great vintages, among them the 1973, ‘74, ‘79, and ‘84, showed that our cool climate and fractured limestone sub-soils were well suited to the varietal. By 1985, the old vines were producing less then a half-ton per acre and were taken out. The younger vines, planted in the ‘70s, provide the majority of grapes today. Initially these newer plantings were on the “lower” vineyard—not yet farmed as part of the Monte Bello Estate—so the wine was called “Santa Cruz Mountains” and these vines have long since been included. Since 2009 the wine has been designated Ridge Estate Chardonnay. In years when differences among lots are sufficient to warrant a separate bottling, we make a limited amount of Monte Bello Chardonnay as well.

Rainfall: 42-54 inches (above normal)
Bloom: Late May
Weather: A cool start to the season. From early June on, the weather was warm to hot, leading to a condensed harvest.

Harvest Dates: 7 – 14 September
Grapes: Average Brix 24.0˚
TA: 5.1 g/L
pH: 3.50
Fermentation: Grapes are whole-cluster pressed and barrel fermented. Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations.
Barrels: 85% American and 15% French oak barrels (15% new, 20% one year old, and 65% four and five years old).
Aging: Fifteen months in barrel

Hand-harvested estate-grown Monte Bello vineyard grapes; whole-cluster pressed; fermented on the native yeasts; full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush,106 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

OwenBargreen.com: 97 Points “Sourced from the famed ‘Monte Bello Vineyard’ this incredible 2024 ‘Estate’ Chardonnay offers baking spice laced pastry crust and custard notes on the nose alongside shades of ripe banana and Japanese pear. The palate is dense and rich with sensational weight and length. This glides throughout the drinking experience, with a near minute-long finish. Extraordinary and very mineral-laden, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2036.” -Owen Bargreen (March 2026)

Wilfred Wong: 92 Points “The 2024 Ridge Estate Chardonnay is medium straw in color; aromas of dried spices and rustic earth rise from the glass; full-bodied, layered, and elevated on the palate; dry, with balanced acidity and solid balance; chalky, earthy flavors give depth and structure; finishes firm, composed, and persistent. From the rugged slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains, this Chardonnay speaks with quiet authority and pairs beautifully with roast chicken and wild mushrooms, where the wine’s earthy nuances and structural backbone echo the dish’s savory richness. (Best Served: 2027-2034)” -Wilfred Wong (March 2026)

JebDunnuck.com: 90 Points “From the Monte Bello Estate Vineyard, the 2024 Chardonnay Estate suffered 20% reduced yields this vintage and is ripe in citrus and apple, with pronounced oak and a medium-bodied frame. There’s primary fruit in the form of apple and citrus and a caramel toastiness to the finish. Drink now through 2030.” -Virginie Boone (March 2026)

See all food pairing recipes we have created specifically for this wine.