Winemaker's Notes:
Ridge first produced Chardonnay in 1962 from mature vines planted on the Monte Bello Estate, a site whose cool mountain climate and fractured limestone soils have long proven ideal for the varietal. Since 2009, the wine has been designated Ridge Estate Chardonnay, reflecting its origin in these distinctive high‑elevation parcels.
The 2024 vintage saw yields reduced by 20% due to high winds during flowering, followed by a warm late‑August spell that accelerated ripening. All seven Chardonnay blocks were harvested over just three days in early September, producing a wine that is precise, expressive and classically Monte Bello in profile. Hand‑harvested estate fruit was
whole‑cluster pressed and fermented on native yeasts, then aged for fifteen months in American and French oak (15% new). True to Ridge’s minimal‑intervention approach, the wine emphasises clarity of site and vintage.
Aromas of clementine marmalade, white peach and orange blossom leadinto a layered palate of pineapple, guava and a hint of coconut. Bright acidity and subtle notes of ginger and kumquat carry through the long, refined finish.
