“In my mind, Ramey is one of the top wineries in the United States.” – Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2014. After tasting today’s very special wine, we could not agree more. Today’s wine is among the finest California Chardonnay’s we’ve had the good fortune to taste over these last 12+ years. Grab some while you can. This wine will sell out.

This Chardonnay is the color of white gold with crystal clear clarity. The nose is well-rounded with diverse notes of apple, pear, quince, toasted walnuts, and buttered popcorn. On the palate, both fresh Barlett pear and baked apple strudel come through along with a blood orange citrus quality and a nice sur lees flavor to round it out. It’s quite crisp with zippy acidity right up front that stands out on the tip and sides of the tongue. Perfect for a fettuccine Alfredo with bay shrimp.

David Ramey is truly one of the wine industry’s greatest and most influential winemakers. While studying winemaking at the University of California at Davis in 1979, he penned his thesis on volatile ester hydrolysis (or how aromas evolve in wine). This thesis is still used by winemakers around the globe, to understand how wine ages.

After graduating, Dave Ramey went to work for the Moueix family at the fabled Château Pétrus, where he was introduced to the time-honored methods and traditions of French winemaking. He returned to California, where he applied his newly acquired knowledge within California’s wine growing regions.

David aided in the establishment of famous name wineries like Dominus Estate (owned by Christian Moueix, of Pétrus), Matanzas Creek, Chalk Hill, and most recently, Rudd Estate.

In 1996, Dave and his wife, Carla, founded their namesake Ramey Wine Cellars. They make some red wines, but their focus on the grape that they love the most has led to a long string of highly accoladed, strongly revered Chardonnays. These Chardonnay’s are the worldly expression of the wines that David has dreamed of throughout his long and storied career.

To hear Dave Ramey wax poetic about his Chardonnay, please watch this great video:

Here’s what the wine press has to say:

95 Points - “The 2014 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard has expressive pink grapefruit, warm peaches and brioche notes with hints of praline and ginger. Medium-bodied with great richness and depth in the mouth, it has a lovely creamy texture offset by a wicked backbone of freshness, finishing long with mineral and savory/yeasty layers.” - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Robert M. Parker Jr.’s The Wine Advocate

90 Points - “The presence of tangy lime and pineapple flavors gives this a cleansing, mouthwatering sensation. Impressive for the beam of zesty vitality. Drink now through 2020.” - James Laube, Wine Spectator

93 Points - “Lush and bright, this comes from one of the coolest sites sourced by the producer, high up and facing the Pacific Ocean. A gravelly texture holds on tightly along the palate, as pear, peach and baked pineapple vie for attention.” - Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast