David Ramey Tasting Dinner

David Ramey was in town for a nonprofit board meeting, and Craig Vanderah arranged a dinner for about 25 people at Restaurant Vincent. This event was my first exposure to the man and his wines, and I came away highly impressed. Ramey is a passionate, opinionated, entertaining, and very ambitious winemaker, who also happens to sound a lot like Leo from "That 70s Show". I am a big fan of a select few California Chardonnays (Aubert, Peter Michael, Kongsgaard), and based on this tasting, I would put Ramey's whites in the same league. The reds were just too young; I look forward to trying them again in a few years. Thanks to Craig for making this happen.

• 2004 Ramey Chardonnay Russian River Valley 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Medium gold color, with a slight tinge of green. Spicy oak on the nose. Slightly sweet, showing honey, citrus, and caramel apple. Nice minerality and balance; bright acidity. Oaky. Some interesting nutty flavors on the midpalate.

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• 2004 Ramey Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Fragrant, perfumed nose. Some oak and spice, but less obvious than the RRV. Orange zest, nuts, and smoke. Very complex; smooth and supple in the mouth. Wonderful minerality. Long finish. Tons of fruit here, yet this wine is amazingly light on its feet. I liked this almost as much as the Aubert Ritchie. One of the best Cali Chards I've had. Easily the WOTN for me.

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• 2004 Ramey Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  Darker color than the Ritchie that proceeded it in the flight. Spicy. Citrus, spice, and floral elements. Good balance and a long finish. Compared with the Ritchie, this was a bit shorter in the mouth and came across as heavier and more oaky. Interestingly, both wines saw 2/3 new oak and spent 2 years in barrel.

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• 2001 Ramey Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  Deep, dark golden color. Rich flavors of caramel, honey, citrus, and hazelnuts. Smooth and nutty. Excellent balance; nice minerality. This wine had a blockbuster nose, but the palate didn't quite have the length to match. Still, this was an excellent bottle and a good example of how well some Cali Chards can age.

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• 2004 Ramey Claret 86 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Maybe this was too young or suffering from bottle shock? Very oaky nose with lots of vanilla. Tobacco, black fruit, and some spice on the palate. Primal, with tannins that turn harsh and a bit clunky.

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• 2004 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Midnight black color. Deep, rich nose of dark chocolate and smoky black fruit. Brown sugar and blackberries. Inky. I found this to be very sweet on the palate, a touch green on the middle, and searingly tannic on the finish. This could turn out to be very interesting, but it was just way too young tonight.

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• 2004 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Larkmead Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Opaque purple/black color. Jammy purple and black fruit. Sweet and primal. Smoother mouthfeel than the Pedregal that proceeded it in the flight. The tannins are reticent at first, but blast you with both barrels on the finish. Way too early to judge at this stage.

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