Ramey Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022

TOP 100 WINE OF THE YEAR 2024 WINE # 9 : David Ramey started his career in wine with an enology degree and a dream. Over the course of two decades, he made benchmark wines for California wineries such as Matanzas Creek, Chalk Hill, Dominus and Rudd. In 1996, David Ramey and his wife Carla founded Ramey Wine Cellars. "Owning one's own winery is the dream of every winemaker," David says, looking back on the path that led him to build his own. It took time, planning and a profound understanding of how best to bring together all the elements-from the grapes, to the winery materials, and a top-notch team of professionals-to make it all work.  

This Chardonnay is made from fruit from several parts of the Russian River Valley : 38% from four different Dutton ranches (Perry, Mengle, Sebastopol & Mill Station); 17% from Martinelli’s Laughlin Road Vineyard; 13% from King Vineyard; 13% from four Rochioli vineyards (Allen, Mid-40, River, Hill); 10% from Forchini Vineyard; 5% from Westside Farms; and 4% Frostwatch. Goldridge loam and gravelly soils give a crisper mouthfeel to Russian River Chardonnays compared with their Carneros counterparts.  

Wine Spectator reports on Top 100 List : 'Dave Ramey is a legend in California Chardonnay. His children Alan and Claire now run the family winery and continue the tradition of their father’s terrific single-vineyard expressions and regional blends. This wine is a mix of five vineyards: Lafranchi, Martinelli Laughlin Road, Kilcullen, Dutton Sebastopol and the family’s estate, Westside Farms. Their preference is for cool sites with low-vigor soils, and these vineyards were all planted between 1978 and 2006. The grapes are pressed as whole clusters and fermented with ambient yeasts. Malolactic conversion is 100 percent, and the Chardonnays are fined but not filtered.'