Vinous
The 2014 Chardonnay Estate opens with inviting aromatics. Bright, floral and nuanced, the 2014 offers striking complexity and energy. There is a hint of reduction, but that is not a negative. Readers who enjoy focused Chardonnays will find much to admire in the 2014. This is a gorgeous wine from Ridge. Lemon, white pepper and mint add the closing layers of nuance. In 2014, Ridge bottled less of their Monte Bello Chardonnay than the norm, which may be one of the reasons the Estate is so expressive. Winemaker Notes  Sun-bleached straw color. Ripe pineapple, green apple, pear, melon, biscotti, flint, toasted oak. Elegant fresh citrus entry, ginger root, limestone earth, lemon zest finish. WinemakingSustainably grown Monte Bello estate grapes, hand harvested whole cluster pressed fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria minimum effective sulfur for this wine (25 ppm at the press, 20 ppm over the course of aging) oak from barrel fermentation and aging bottled without filtration. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.