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Ridge
Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountain Estate 2005

95 points / $35
2,000 cases made
California

The Chardonnay in the Ridge lineup might be overshadowed by the label's famous Cabernet-based Monte Bello, but Ridge has been making Chardonnay since 1962. The Santa Cruz bottling comes from 12 lots of vines planted on the Monte Bello estate vineyard in the 1980s, with elevation ranging from 1,400 to 1,900 feet. The cool, mountain climate keeps the acidity lively and the flavors fresh and concentrated. Paul Draper is winemaker.

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