2014 Monte Bello Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
One of the finest recent renditions of this great cuvée, the 2014 Chardonnay Monte Bello is a beautiful wine that opens in the glass with notes of white peach, citrus oil, green figs and white flowers, complemented by hints of nutmeg and spice from its time in barrel on the lees. On the palate, it's full-bodied, satiny and textural, with a deep core, bright acids and a long, chalky finish. The 2014 stands out for its purity and elegance. It attained 14.2% natural alcohol and spent 19 months in barrels, only 8% of which were new.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2014 Chardonnay Monte Bello sports a medium to lighter gold color as well as lots of matchstick and reductive aromatics, bright acidity and excellent concentration. Reserved and slightly hard to judge given its reductive character, I still love its balance and length. However, it needs a solid 4-5+ years of cellaring. Ridge continues to produce a stacked lineup from their estate vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, as well as numerous sites in Sonoma County. These reviews focus mostly on their 2015s, which was the earliest harvest on record for Ridge. Nevertheless, the wines show terrific purity and elegance, and it’s a rock-solid vintage for the estate. The Bordeaux blends are from the 2014 vintage, which was another hot, dry year. These are big, ripe, sexy releases that have the fruit and depth to drink nicely today, yet are going to age beautifully.
A wine of total elegance and finesse, the 2014 Chardonnay Monte Bello stands out for its poise and harmony. In 2014, the vines were at the height of their stress from the drought, and yet the wine doesn’t really show it. Ample, broad and creamy, the 2014 has it all. I would prefer to give the 2014 at least a few years in bottle to develop more aromatic nuance. Tangerine, lemon confit and almond notes grace the exquisite, oily finish.
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.