2012 Monte Bello Chardonnay
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2012 Chardonnay Monte Bello is a beauty. Ripe, concentrated and still fresh, with lots of golden fruits, toasty oak, crème brulee and minerality, it's medium to full-bodied, concentrated and layered, with a classy, balanced fruit and integrated acidity. Full, complete, concentrated and balanced, it will have a decade or more of longevity.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Chardonnay Monte Bello boasts superb textural richness and intensity, but in the classic Ridge style that leans towards finesse rather than opulence. Apricot jam, smoke, slate and orange blossoms take on shades of viscosity in seamless, textured Chardonnay that hits all the right notes. As always, there is a layer of slight reduction running through the wine, so decanting is a must, especially if the wine is opened on the younger side.
Mix of clones, including ‘the most ordinary’, Clone 4. Plantings from early 1980s to 2010. It ripens very fast and reaches higher alcohols than they actually prefer. Very concentrated vintage. Chardonnay (estate and Monte Bello) represents 5-6% of total production. Mostly US oak and only 10% new – very much lower than in the early 1990s. They claim it will develop for 12-15 years. Minerally nose with lots of wet stones. Sappy and really appetising. (JR)
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.