Alas my last bottle of this incredible creation almost 15 years ago! This CHARD now sets the high standard for me. Ramey proves that a well constructed vino built for the ages is truly an Artisanal beauty: crisp mineral with a perfect floral and just the right acidity. Thank you, David Ramey!
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Extremely consistent! Smooth mineral with perfect floral. Just the right acidity. Hard to imagine a more delightful Chard. Have thoroughly enjoyed every drop.
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Consistent Chard perfection. Everyone loves this beautifully aged Ritchie Rich! Crisp and full of minerals that proves great design + technique builds quality for the ages.
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Ole Ramey must have known that someone would wait 15 years to drink this beautifully aged Chard since it was bottled in very thick glass designed to protect its contents for the ages. Well done!
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Nose of honey, minerals, and citrus, same on the palate, medium/big body, served close to room temperature so the nose was in full bloom, mouth filling fruit, very tasty, and a long, long finish.
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Nose of citrus, minerals, and honey, same on the palate, medium/big body, showing its age, time to drink up, tasted better after twenty minutes in the glass, tasty, and a long, flavorful finish and aftertaste.
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Nose of citrus, minerals, allspice, and honey, same on the palate, medium/big body, a little tired, much better in the glass as it warmed up during the first hour of dinner, complex, and very tasty tonight, long, flavorful finish.
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Four tasters were similarly ambivalent about this wine. A bit overpowering, with strong oak treatment and harsh tannins, which finally softened a bit after an hour or so in the decanter. Nice, ripe fruit but it all gets lost in the tannins and the alcohol that lingered on the finish. I enjoyed earlier bottles much more, so perhaps an off bottle (although the bottle was in no way flawed).
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This bottle was consumed 12/31/2011 at dinner where it showed well with the appetizers, ahi tuna and mushroom sauce over ravioli. Glorious hints of vanilla, honey, exotic fruit on the nose, even more on the palate as it opened over the first hour to pineapple, honey, allspice, and showed great mouthfeel and texture. This wine was a dead ringer for Aubert Ritchie Vineyard. The best Ritchie from Ramey by far when compared to the 2007 and 2008. as the English say it has grip and elegeance.
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(2+) Drank at with Michael Vickery. Characteristic Ramey Ritchie Vineyard but somewhat muted and possibly on the downslope of its life. Still not bad though.
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Outstanding chardonnay. Don't serve this too cold; it requires a little time and temperature in the glass to display its complexity. Honestly, it's harsh and objectionable if served too cold. Complex nose with tropical fruits, some oak, light floral notes. Full bodied on the palate. Satisfying finish that surprises with its length.
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big california chardonnay. oaky, buttery, tiny bit of carbonation. would go well with white fish with cream or butter based sauce in the backyard on a clear summer evening after the sun has gone down and a layer of cool air has descended.
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This bottle shows more tart and more acidic than I remember it to be. Good nose, rough mouth, slightly rough length. Not up to the last bottle; perhaps not ready?
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Wonderful nose combines fresh flowers, apples, and a hint of smoke along with creamy orange, stones, stone-fruits and hazelnuts which extend to the palate. A bready, banana-creme-brulee aspect comes forth on the mid-palate but the wine ends with a saline, lemony note that lasts. As another wrote, this lacks the precision and lift of the very best wines, but this is an excellent Chard and one that has plenty of life left to go.
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Color is lighter than the DuMol preceding it. There is apple mixed in with honey and saw dust on the nose. The wood is a little raw, but this is long, balanced and fine on the palate. The most “Burgundian” of the wines tonight and I liked it a lot. (93)
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Yeasty, orange/orange fruit nose, with added tart/ripe/yeasty/acid mouth. Admirable punch and good length that turns a bit tart on the finish. Could have used more time after opening, I suspect, and a bit warmer temperature. Could still use another year or two in the cellar.
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Look at all these Chardonnays! (The Double B): Bright color, and initially musty nose - definitely need to let this one open up a bit. Effervescent on the tounge with almond and lemon flavors. Did not stack up well though against the other chards of the night as the grouped loved the Lewis Sonomoa chard and the La Tour Napa chard better.
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TTG#10: Summer Wines? (Tokyo American Club): Rich looking yellow gold that was indicative of the richness to come. Let me say up front that this wine had enough acid and mineral that, in a dispassionate sense, it was able to balance the oak and richly tropical fruit. However, it struck me as just too much of a good thing. A dose of butterscotch on the nose that never really receded, along with sweet vanillin and – somewhere behind it – some sweet buttery pineapple and roasting apple. Not a good start. The palate is where it started to come back together with the aforementioned mineral and enough acid to keep it from going fat. Under this was very good tropicalish fruit, ripe but not overly so. Big on the finish. If this note sounds ambivalent, then I’m getting the message across. Good materials, may integrate in time, but just a bit too much of everything without that amazing lift and precision that the best big wines have. I just hesitate to be too negative as it is so very young.
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Here is what our dinner guests said about the Ramey (Ritchie Vineyard): "Pineapple; buttery; strong oak; big chardonnay." "The Ramey Chardonnay was wonderful -- the best of the whites this evening."
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Wowed me a little less than the last bottle, consumed a couple of weeks ago, but still outstanding. Lack of oak lets the fruit come through. Peaches and apricots? Nothing citrus or overly acidic. Extraordinarily long finish. Don't be afraid to let this one warm a little bit. You might even consider decanting. By all means, do not leave the bottle in a chiller. It opened up noticeably over the course of an hour or so. A little heat added to the complexity and to the length of the finish.
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Truly an outstanding chardonnay. It lacks any of the flaws chard criticis deride. Little to no oak. Enormous complexity, and exquisite balance. None of the buttery notes chard critics dislike. The wine left ample residual crystals in every glass. Interesting. We followed it up with a fairly pedestrian chard from Washingston State, which paled miserably by comparison. This wine is a rare find.
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Quite a contrast from last night's Ramey 2003 Hyde. That one was flamboyant and full of tropical fruits; this one is tart, structured, and has a minerally, bready fruit tastes. It has a nice nose, but lacks some of the mouthfilling charm of the Hyde, though the length is admirably long. One interesting thing about this wine is that it seems to be much more "cheese tolerant" that most wines, especially with one of our favorites, the French goat cheese called Bucheron. Go figure.
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Full yellow with green hint. Medium clean aroma of yellow fruit with banana hints. Nice rich zingy yellow sweetish fruit with a spicy finish. Definitely not as good as the Aubert, but nice. 3/06
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9/16/2019 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Delicious, still has more life. Sitting in the glass I don’t want to finish and sadly my last btl. Wow.
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5/15/2018 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Alas my last bottle of this incredible creation almost 15 years ago! This CHARD now sets the high standard for me. Ramey proves that a well constructed vino built for the ages is truly an Artisanal beauty: crisp mineral with a perfect floral and just the right acidity. Thank you, David Ramey!
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4/30/2018 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Extremely consistent! Smooth mineral with perfect floral. Just the right acidity. Hard to imagine a more delightful Chard. Have thoroughly enjoyed every drop.
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11/19/2017 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent Chard perfection. Everyone loves this beautifully aged Ritchie Rich! Crisp and full of minerals that proves great design + technique builds quality for the ages.
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11/7/2017 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ole Ramey must have known that someone would wait 15 years to drink this beautifully aged Chard since it was bottled in very thick glass designed to protect its contents for the ages. Well done!
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10/26/2017 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Chard perfection! Continues to deliver with age.
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10/19/2017 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of honey, minerals, and citrus, same on the palate, medium/big body, served close to room temperature so the nose was in full bloom, mouth filling fruit, very tasty, and a long, long finish.
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10/8/2017 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Burgundy Joy! That's right....it's Chard. But absolutely beautiful in every way. Continues to age perfectly
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10/5/2017 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose of citrus, minerals, and honey, same on the palate, medium/big body, showing its age, time to drink up, tasted better after twenty minutes in the glass, tasty, and a long, flavorful finish and aftertaste.
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12/20/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of citrus, minerals, allspice, and honey, same on the palate, medium/big body, a little tired, much better in the glass as it warmed up during the first hour of dinner, complex, and very tasty tonight, long, flavorful finish.
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7/21/2014 - JimN wrote: 87 Points
Four tasters were similarly ambivalent about this wine. A bit overpowering, with strong oak treatment and harsh tannins, which finally softened a bit after an hour or so in the decanter. Nice, ripe fruit but it all gets lost in the tannins and the alcohol that lingered on the finish. I enjoyed earlier bottles much more, so perhaps an off bottle (although the bottle was in no way flawed).
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10/25/2012 - oeno wrote: 91 Points
Drinking on its way up to its peak. Maybe in fact a little overpowering for the braised scallops with mushrooms, red peppers, peas and broccoli.
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1/14/2012 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 95 Points
This bottle was consumed 12/31/2011 at dinner where it showed well with the appetizers, ahi tuna and mushroom sauce over ravioli. Glorious hints of vanilla, honey, exotic fruit on the nose, even more on the palate as it opened over the first hour to pineapple, honey, allspice, and showed great mouthfeel and texture. This wine was a dead ringer for Aubert Ritchie Vineyard. The best Ritchie from Ramey by far when compared to the 2007 and 2008. as the English say it has grip and elegeance.
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10/9/2011 - mdefreitas wrote: 86 Points
Football and Cabs from around the world @ Howards (Old Greenwich, CT): Rich and mouthfilling. Somewhat funky and soft. This seems to be showing its age. Drink up.
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1/13/2010 - AZ Cat wrote:
(2+) Drank at with Michael Vickery. Characteristic Ramey Ritchie Vineyard but somewhat muted and possibly on the downslope of its life. Still not bad though.
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10/24/2009 - James B wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding chardonnay. Don't serve this too cold; it requires a little time and temperature in the glass to display its complexity. Honestly, it's harsh and objectionable if served too cold. Complex nose with tropical fruits, some oak, light floral notes. Full bodied on the palate. Satisfying finish that surprises with its length.
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7/15/2009 - paulst wrote: 94 Points
Rich deep oaky peach apricot.
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6/30/2009 - ojsaito wrote: 90 Points
big california chardonnay. oaky, buttery, tiny bit of carbonation. would go well with white fish with cream or butter based sauce in the backyard on a clear summer evening after the sun has gone down and a layer of cool air has descended.
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5/19/2009 - paulst wrote: 95 Points
Rich creamy but not too so with some earth and flowers; crunchy, smooth, nice finish.
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4/18/2009 - paulst wrote: 93 Points
Smooth soft creamy nicely balanced vanilla lemon curd.
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12/21/2008 - paulst wrote: 97 Points
Creamy, rich, smooth; minerally peach, banana, vanilla; long finish.
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3/1/2008 - jbaron wrote: 90 Points
This bottle shows more tart and more acidic than I remember it to be. Good nose, rough mouth, slightly rough length. Not up to the last bottle; perhaps not ready?
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2/13/2008 - JScott wrote: 92 Points
Settling into a very nice place. Last bottle; should've given them a little more time.
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7/28/2007 - silton wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful nose combines fresh flowers, apples, and a hint of smoke along with creamy orange, stones, stone-fruits and hazelnuts which extend to the palate. A bready, banana-creme-brulee aspect comes forth on the mid-palate but the wine ends with a saline, lemony note that lasts. As another wrote, this lacks the precision and lift of the very best wines, but this is an excellent Chard and one that has plenty of life left to go.
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6/17/2007 - dbkitc wrote: 93 Points
Color is lighter than the DuMol preceding it. There is apple mixed in with honey and saw dust on the nose. The wood is a little raw, but this is long, balanced and fine on the palate. The most “Burgundian” of the wines tonight and I liked it a lot. (93)
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6/16/2007 - jbaron wrote: 91 Points
Yeasty, orange/orange fruit nose, with added tart/ripe/yeasty/acid mouth. Admirable punch and good length that turns a bit tart on the finish. Could have used more time after opening, I suspect, and a bit warmer temperature. Could still use another year or two in the cellar.
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11/28/2006 - JScott wrote: 91 Points
Very rich, plush on the palate, perhaps just a little hot at the end.
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11/21/2006 - davidcbaker wrote: 89 Points
Look at all these Chardonnays! (The Double B): Bright color, and initially musty nose - definitely need to let this one open up a bit. Effervescent on the tounge with almond and lemon flavors. Did not stack up well though against the other chards of the night as the grouped loved the Lewis Sonomoa chard and the La Tour Napa chard better.
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8/25/2006 - jrufusj wrote:
TTG#10: Summer Wines? (Tokyo American Club): Rich looking yellow gold that was indicative of the richness to come. Let me say up front that this wine had enough acid and mineral that, in a dispassionate sense, it was able to balance the oak and richly tropical fruit. However, it struck me as just too much of a good thing. A dose of butterscotch on the nose that never really receded, along with sweet vanillin and – somewhere behind it – some sweet buttery pineapple and roasting apple. Not a good start. The palate is where it started to come back together with the aforementioned mineral and enough acid to keep it from going fat. Under this was very good tropicalish fruit, ripe but not overly so. Big on the finish. If this note sounds ambivalent, then I’m getting the message across. Good materials, may integrate in time, but just a bit too much of everything without that amazing lift and precision that the best big wines have. I just hesitate to be too negative as it is so very young.
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7/31/2006 - gdbarton1@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Light Pale, Golden
Rich butterscotch and straw nose
Rich fruit, applebutter with bright acid
A very good wine that should only get better
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7/14/2006 - A&C wrote: 90 Points
Here is what our dinner guests said about the Ramey (Ritchie Vineyard): "Pineapple; buttery; strong oak; big chardonnay." "The Ramey Chardonnay was wonderful -- the best of the whites this evening."
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7/8/2006 - James B wrote: 94 Points
Wowed me a little less than the last bottle, consumed a couple of weeks ago, but still outstanding. Lack of oak lets the fruit come through. Peaches and apricots? Nothing citrus or overly acidic. Extraordinarily long finish. Don't be afraid to let this one warm a little bit. You might even consider decanting. By all means, do not leave the bottle in a chiller. It opened up noticeably over the course of an hour or so. A little heat added to the complexity and to the length of the finish.
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6/28/2006 - James B wrote: 96 Points
Truly an outstanding chardonnay. It lacks any of the flaws chard criticis deride. Little to no oak. Enormous complexity, and exquisite balance. None of the buttery notes chard critics dislike. The wine left ample residual crystals in every glass. Interesting. We followed it up with a fairly pedestrian chard from Washingston State, which paled miserably by comparison. This wine is a rare find.
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3/18/2006 - jbaron wrote: 92 Points
Quite a contrast from last night's Ramey 2003 Hyde. That one was flamboyant and full of tropical fruits; this one is tart, structured, and has a minerally, bready fruit tastes. It has a nice nose, but lacks some of the mouthfilling charm of the Hyde, though the length is admirably long. One interesting thing about this wine is that it seems to be much more "cheese tolerant" that most wines, especially with one of our favorites, the French goat cheese called Bucheron. Go figure.
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3/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Full yellow with green hint. Medium clean aroma of yellow fruit with banana hints. Nice rich zingy yellow sweetish fruit with a spicy finish. Definitely not as good as the Aubert, but nice. 3/06
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2/8/2006 - Ekoostik wrote: 93 Points
Good Chard, Its sharp tasting with minerality present. Bit of Lemon in the fruit. A great wine for those turning away from the butter bombs...
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2/1/2006 - rvalicenti wrote: 90 Points
Golen yellow color. Well balanced with a good acidity and flinty backbone. Scents of pineapple and marcipan.
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