Year after year the wines from Ramey Wine Cellars are nothing short of spectacular.
International Wine Report
About the Wine
This comes from a vineyard which is really starting to come into its own. Planted in 2007, the Chardonnay vines from Woolsey are starting to develop inherent complexity and quality. It's a marriage between site and variety which goes a long way to explain the 'wow factor' here.
Whole bunch pressed with native primary ferment and malolactic ferment, the wine spent 20 months in French oak - 25% new. While there is a full mouthfeel and richness which we've come to expect from Californian Chardonnay, the balance here is striking. A fine acid line and oyster shell minerality form a beautiful texture here, supporting flavours of dried hay, crunchy apples and juicy pears. Amazing complexity here. Brilliant stuff.
About Ramey
David Ramey is a name to remember. He started his own wine label in 1996 and is counted with some of America's most influential winemakers. Looking at his resume, anything else would be a shame - he has made wine at some of the most renowned wineries in the world, like Chateau Petrus and Dominus.
With a mentality of making wines which are 'bold, but in check,' Ramey focuses on native yeasts, sur lie ageing and barrel fermentation. This results in a new California style, one which combines rich lushness with softness, delicacy and balance.

Sonoma, California