Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Chardonnay: Relying on Nature and Tradition

Ridge Vineyards relies on nature and tradition rather than technology. Its approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit's distinctive character and richness into the wine. The fermentation process of its chardonnay whole-cluster pressed. In the cellar, it avoids additions other than minimal effective SO2. Both primary and secondary fermentations are natural. The winery is careful to keep each of its vineyards separate, seeking those sites that show distinct, individual character and quality.

Since 1986 Ridge has been owned by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Otsuka, but the Ridge team is anything but corporate. Formal oenological training is eschewed. Paul Draper, who joined Ridge more than 40 years ago, claims that his wine training was tasting the great wines of Europe and remains suspicious of anyone inculcated with winemaking orthodoxy. 'We have to retrain anyone who arrives with an oenology degree'', he says. Current winemaker Eric Baugher is a microbiologist who came to Ridge in 1994 via a graduate project in its surprisingly high-tech lab.

Ridge offers two unique tasting flights at its winery in Cupertino, Ca. on Saturdays and Sundays between 11 am and 5 pm from April through October (and until 4 pm November through March). The Guest & Member Tasting is typically comprised of two "Guest" offerings poured complimentary, and four "Member" wines; this flight is available for $5 per person. Its Monte Bello Tasting features the four Member offerings, bookended by its limited-production estate chardonnay, and its flagship Monte Bello; this flight is available for $20 per person.

Ridge offers many of its wines at its online store. Its 2006 Monte Bello Chardonnay retails for $60 for a 750 ml bottle.

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