To say David Ramey is a trailblazer, innovator and ingenious technician may be a gross understatement. By anyone’s standards he has gone beyond conventional roles to forge a new movement. Congenial, humble and unassuming is not what you would expect from an accomplished winemaker with David’s credentials. For nearly four decades he has gone beyond traditional norms expanding our understanding of how wine should be made, while establishing prominence for wineries along the way.

The Ritchie Vineyard has an iconic “grand cru” status in the heart of Russian River Valley and is planted in sandy, Goldridge sub-soils. The 2020 Ramey “Ritchie Vineyard” Chardonnay underwent 100% malolactic fermentation in the barrel along with native yeasts. In each vintage, Ritchie Vineyard remains one of the best achievements from David’s portfolio. This richly textured Chardonnay expresses itself with a pale yellow color then opens to a spring garden of floral aromatics. The core is expansive revealing spiced apples, Mandarin orange rind, and roasted nuts. This finesse-driven wine has layers and layers of yellow plums and citrus with a coating of crème brulee richness. There is a touch of minerality that adds to the overall complexity of the wine and adds to its lasting impression.

By W Peter Hoyne