Ramey Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2022
(Sonoma, California) - [JD 95] [WS 94, #10 Top 100 Of 2024] [JS 92] [WA 92]

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About the Winery:
David Ramey is unquestionably one of the most renowned winemakers in California. He has made wines and consulted for some of the top names in Napa Valley and France, including Chateau Pétrus (the world's most expensive Bordeaux), Chalk Hill, Matanzas Creek, Dominus Estate, and Rudd. He founded his namesake winery in 1996.

About this Wine:
The perfect dichotomy of fruit and acid exemplifies the Russian River Valley. The crisp mouthfeel is nurtured in cool sites with low vigor soils such as Goldridge Loam. A classic.

Vineyards
Coming from special vineyard sites, our Chardonnays show great depth of flavor, length of finish, aromatic complexity, and a fine balance between richness and delicacy. Typically, the climate is cool and the soil vigor low, producing graceful yet vibrant wines. The 2021 vintage is 55% Westside Farms, 18% Kilcullen, 13% Dutton Sebastopol, 10% Martinelli Charles Ranch, and 4% Frank Johnson.

Harvest Date: Aug 28 – Sept 6
Brix: 22.4˚ average
Soil: These are cool sites, with low vigor soil such as Goldridge Loam, planted between 1978 and 2006.
Clones: The vineyards are mostly planted to UC Davis Clone 4, known for its prominent acidity and large clusters, with lesser percentages of Wente and aromatic clones like Rued.
AVA: Russian River Valley

Winemaking
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Fermentation: We press whole clusters for phenolic delicacy. Native-yeast and full native malolactic fermentation take place in barrel, with sur lies bâtonnage.
Aging: After aging 12 months in 10% new French oak barrels (Taransaud Beaune, François Frères), the Chardonnay was traditionally fined for clarity during the following harvest and bottled without filtration in January 2023.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"A bright straw color, the 2022 Chardonnay Russian River Valley is fresh and aromatic with notes of flinty, ripe, fresh apple, candied lemon, a savory, lightly herbaceous touch, and a hint of wet stone. Medium to full-bodied, it’s elegant and long on the palate, with a delicate saline touch and a balanced feel throughout. It is phenomenal wine and shows off the versatility of this vintage with ease. Drink it over the next 10 or more years." - Audry Frick (June 2024)

94 Points, #10 Top 100 Wines of 2024 - Wine Spectator:
"Oozing with character, this succulent and mouthwatering white offers a fleshy, juicy mix of perfectly ripe peach, mango and lemon bar flavors, with fresh herbal accents of lemon verbena and vetiver. Offers accents of freshly grated ginger, tangerine and crunchy sea salt on the finish. Drink now through 2036. 7,442 cases made." - MW (July 2024)

92 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2022 Chardonnay Russian River Valley has inviting scents of yellow apples, allspice, toast and flint. The light-bodied palate strikes a balance of ripe fruit and spicy oak. Its satiny texture is tempered by lively acidity, and it has a long, flavorful finish. This is dangerously easy to drink! 7,442 cases produced. 2024 - 2034" - Erin Brooks (Oct 2024)

92 Points - James Suckling:
"Light butter and vanilla bean aromas lead to vivid, racy lemon curd, lime zest and cream flavors in this well-balanced, medium-bodied wine. The most affordable of the Ramey chardonnays, it still delivers an elegant texture and delicious flavors. Drink now." (Apr 2024)