We tried these two at our Older Ridge tasting at Pig+Fig last night:
1. Ridge Chard SantaCruzMtns MonteBello EstateVnyd (14.6%; 100% Chard; bttld Sept 07; U; Drk: 7/07-7/10-7/11: EB) 2006: Deep gold color; some butterscotch/caramel/Fr.toasty/oak some almondy Chard light chalky/mineral/SCM Chard slight oxidized/oatmeal/nutty rather complex nose; rather soft rich/lush some caramel/oak light nutty/almondy/Chard slight mineral bit oxidized flavor; long slight nutty finish that tracks flavor; a rather interesting bit mild-mannered fully mature SCM Chard that shows no signs of being tired or dried out. $60.00
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2. Ridge Chard SantaCruzMtns MonteBello EstateVnyd (14.6%; 100% Chard;bttld Jan 2009; U; Drk: 9/08-9/13-9/15: EB) 2007: Deep gold color; bit fresher some melony/almondy/Chard some toasty/caramel/Fr.oak not nearly as oxidized bit old/WhiteBurg more subtle/complex nose; soft ripe/lush bit melony/Chard/almondy slight earthy/mineral rather complex flavor w/ less oxidative character; slightly frsher/youthful on the palate; very similar proile to the '06; no signs of drying out or tired. $60.00
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More tikkerlikker from THeBloodyPulpit:
1. Both of these have a very mature SCM Chard character & are quite interesting; definitely not over the hill but showing full/complex maturity. Not showing a lot of overt oak. Only show a bit of oxidative character & both still in very good shape & interesting mature Chards. A bit like some of the old Martin Ray Chards.
There current style of Ridge Chards is to show a lot of very ripe Chard fruit & lots of overt oak. Both of these Chards were of this modern Ridge style. They have evolved much better than I expected.
In 1976, I took a bunch of my Nuclear buddies up to The Ridge to taste the new wines, mostly '73 reds. We were hosted up on the knoll by Dave Bennion. As we finished up, I commented to him that I really liked his reds...but not nearly as fond of his whites. Those wine showed lots of chalky/earthy/mineral character & not a lot of forward fruit.
Dave took that comment as a challenge & went into the Ridge cellar & started bringing out old Ridge Whites..Chard/Syvaner/White Riesling and others.Most from the mid-late '60's. The wines were magnificent & had evolved into wonderful old bones. Made a believer outta me that Dave knew what he was doing when it came to winemaking.
Tom