History
The Chardonnay on the ridge dates from around 1984, long before the extreme Sonoma coast had a reputation. Wellington Vineyards bottled a single-vineyard wine from the site across a run of vintages from around 1990 through at least 2012, unusually a Cabernet Sauvignon, which is not what this ground is now known for. Red Car, founded in 2000, is the current producer and bottles the Chardonnay.
The Site
About four to four and a half acres in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, roughly five miles from the Pacific, high enough on the ridge to sit above the fog. Red Car lists the elevation at about 1,400 feet, and Wellington has quoted about 1,500 feet.
Vines and Blocks
Old Wente selection Chardonnay farmed to very low yields is the heart of the site. Cabernet Sauvignon has genuinely been grown on the same ridge, which is the detail most accounts leave out.
The Wines
Red Car's Mohrhardt Ridge Chardonnay is the current designate. Wellington's Cabernet from the site is the historical curiosity worth knowing.