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A wine of this cool - but not cold - part of Sonoma County, Ramey’s Russian River Chardonnay is intense, rich, but delicate. Layers of juicy citrus, apple, pear, and hints of oak and wet gravel emerge in a texture that’s subtly creamy, fresh, and firm. Diverse soils and subtle differences in elevation and micro-climate contribute to the complexity of this Chardonnay. In 2020, vineyards comprised 45% Westside Farms, 20% Kilcullen, 10% Dutton Sebastopol, 10% Frank Johnson, 9% Rochioli Allen, and 6% Bucher. As an appellation series wine, David Ramey might say this Chardonnay is less concentrated and needs less time to open than the single vineyard wines, but it is made with the same attention to detail. Native yeast fermentation, malolactic fermentation in barrel, and bottling without filtration are some of the methods Ramey uses to make this Burgundian-inspired California Chardonnay. The Wine Advocate noted, “gregarious scents of baked apples and apricot with wafts of baking spice and roasted almonds. The medium-bodied palate offers expansive fruits and refreshing acidity, finishing long and energetic.”
If there has been a movement in California away from buttery, tropical-sweet Chardonnay and over-ripe, high-octane Cabernet, surely one of the leaders is David Ramey. Located in picturesque Healdsburg, Ramey Cellars is a craft-winery that produces startlingly fresh and balanced Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards in Sonoma County and Napa Valley. Many of Ramey’s wines express the terroir of single vineyards while others are specific to such appellations as the Sonoma Coast or Russian River Valley. With his master’s degree in enology from UC Davis, one might have expected Ramey’s wines to be faultless and squeeky-clean; however, an early internship at Chateau Petrus imbued him with the belief that wines should be restrained, balanced and crafted to accompany food. This combination of the empirical and the romantic (along with almost 20 years of experience at such wineries as Simi, Matanzas Creek and Dominus) has led him to experiment with indigenous yeasts and malolactic and barrel fermentation in search of a new California style. This style seeks to tame the naturally luscious and vivacious fruit of California with the traditional techniques of the Old World. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, novelist (and wine geek) Jay McInerny has described “his Chardonnays just a little more voluptuous than the average Puligny-Montrachet, his cabs less tannic than the typical Médoc.”
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Appellation(s) | Russian River Valley (Sonoma) |
| Winery | Ramey |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Color | White |
| Varietal(s) | Chardonnay |
| Closure | Cork |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Bottle Size | 8.0 x 30.0 |
| Case Size | 34.5 x 26.0 x 30.5 |
| Alcohol | 13.5% |
| Product Code | RM20RRC |
| UPC | 185983000053 |
| MLF | 100 |
92 points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
Tangerine, baked apple, and pear aromas emerge before flavors of lemon curd, apricot and hints of spice and wet stones intensify into a firm finish.
Whole clusters were pressed and barrel-fermented on native yeasts in French oak. Aged 12 months in 10% new French oak.