Ridge Vineyards - Estate Chardonnay 2020
Ridge Vineyards is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, California , United States . The Ridge Vineyards story begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a physician who became a prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, purchased 70 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge. He terraced the slopes and planted vines and using native limestone he built the Monte Bello winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892. In the 1940s William Short, a theologian, purchased the abandoned winery and vineyard just below Perrone's property. New owners Dave Bennion, Hew Crane, Charlie Rosen, and Howard Ziedler , all Stanford Research Institute engineers, crafted a quarter-barrel "Estate" Cabernet. This Monte Bello Cabernet was among California's finest wines at the time. The first Zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small 19th century vineyard further up the ridge. This was followed in 1966 by the first Zinfandel Geyserville. The founding families recovered the terraces of Monte Bello, increasing the size of the vineyard. By 1968 production had increased to just under 3,000 cases a year, and in 1969 Paul Draper joined the partnership. Under his direction, the old Perrone cellar (acquired the previous year) was restored, the most beautiful vineyard land rented or purchased, the constant quality and the international reputation of the wines established. Lytton Springs, Sonoma County, became part of the Ridge Estate in 1991. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also produced limited quantities of Chardonnay since 1962. Sustainability is both a philosophy and a set of practices environmentally friendly designed to preserve their land. Most of their vines are certified organic. In winemaking, Ridge Vineyards uses natural yeast, no commercial enzymes or nutrients and decisions are based on taste.
Estate Chardonnay 2020 is made from grapes grown in the Monte Bello vineyard, from 11 plots (Klein and Rousten). The grapes are pressed in whole bunches and fermented in barrels. The wine goes through malolactic fermentation and is aged entirely in barrels for 14 months . A wide range of barrels are used: 80% air-dried American oak and the rest French oak (15% new, 20% one-year-old, 25% five-year-old and 40% three-year-old).
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
