Ridge Estate Vineyards Santa Cruz Chardonnay

Winemaker Tasting Notes: Pale golden color. Pineapple fruit braised pear and fig aromas sweet oak and dried herbs. Tart apple fruit entry pineapple citrus and an elegant texture; long refreshing firm acid finish. EB (2/17) Vintage Notes: Mild winter weather resulted in early budbreak. Spring rains affected bloom reducing yields by one-third. A warm fog-free summer ripened the crop for an early September harvest. In barrel vineyard parcels were kept separate; at the tenth month we assembled the most elegant lots. This out- standing vintage shows well defined mountain fruit and firm acidity. It will be most enjoyable over the next eight to ten years. History: 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 c