Ramey Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2021
(Sonoma, California) - [WE 95] [WS 94, #27 Top 100 Of 2023] [JD 92]

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.