94 2003 Ridge Santa Cruz Mtns Chardonnay 4/21/12 ($25)
14.9% alc
Color: Medium deep gold. Mature, but not old. (3.0) Bouquet: Pine sap and minerals with poached buttered pear. (3.5) Body: Elegant light heavyweight with excellent fruit, acidity and minerality. Lively, rich mouthfeel. (3.5) Flavor: Parallels bouquet with minerals and acidity coming on and propelling the fruit and secondary nuances. Exciting. (3.5) Finish: Pine and fruit are long, but not quite as intense as the flavor. (3.0)
Overall: Elegant and complex with mineral intensity energizing poached buttered pear fruit and pine sap nuances. This was excellent right from the start, but has transformed into a mature Chardonnay with great character. Drink now and in the next couple of years. (16.5)
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