Ramey Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay

Wine information: David Ramey is widely acknowledged to be among the wine pioneers whose efforts helped raise the bar for all American winemakers and brought California to the forefront of the international wine world. David’s groundbreaking work with indigenous yeasts and malolactic and barrel fermentation yielded a new California style that was richer, more lush and silky smooth than previously known. Ramey Wine Cellars, which David owns with his wife, Carla, was founded in 1996. Situated directly in the center of the Russian River appellation, the Kent Ritchie’s vineyard was planted in 1972 to the old Wente selection. Widely spaced - the fashion at the time - these old vines with their gnarly trunks produce tiny quantities of grapes per vine. The benchland soil is pure Goldridge Loam, common to great vineyards in this part of the Russian River Valley. Ramey's Chardonnays are whole-cluster pressed, fermented in Burgundian barrels with native yeast and bottled without filtration. "The single vineyard Chardonnays are all superb. The most structured and backward is the 2007 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard, which comes across as slightly tannic. Full-bodied with an earthy, rich minerality, fresh, lively poached pear, honeysuckle, and subtle smoke and tropical fruit notes, this well delineated Chardonnay reveals laser-like clarity. It will drink well for 5+ years. All of the single vineyard Chardonnays are aged in two-thirds new French oak, and the generic offerings see one-third new French oak." 93 point, Robert M. Parker Jr.’s The Wine Advocate, February 2010.

 
     

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