Ramey: brilliant 2023s from California’s ‘banner vintage’

Top Californian Chardonnay

In the beginning, it was only meant to be 'a little Chardonnay on the side'. David Ramey had worked at a variety of prestigious estates, but it was during a stint at Dominus that he was allowed to indulge in a side project (making Chardonnay). That was 1996. By 2001, he had quit the day job and launched Chardonnay specialist Ramey cellars. Fast forward a bit more. Ramey is recognised as one of California's great Chardonnay producers, and David's pioneering contributions to the field - now supported by his son Alan - have helped define the way top-flight Chardonnay is made in America.

A constant dialogue with the European wine scene has kept David ahead of the curve. He started to harvest early to capture acidity (for freshness). He was an early adopter of the whole-cluster pressing of white grapes, the use of oxidised juice in white winemaking (which paradoxically can help protect against premature oxidation), the sur lie ageing of white wines in barrel (for texture), native yeast fermentations, and bottling with minimal filtration.

But more importantly than the winemaking, it's about site. Ramey sources fruit from trusted growers working some of the best sites up and down the Sonoma Coast. Hyde is arguably head of the pack, on rocky clay soils in the cool Carneros region of Napa. And 2023 is being called a 'banner vintage' across California. The unusually cool season led to extra hang time for the grapes, which in turn allowed for more complex flavour development. Ramey has released a scintillating set of single vineyard 2023 Chardonnays. And 2024 isn't looking at all shabby either, as evidenced by the site-blended 2024 Russian River Valley cuvée. /NT

Offered subject to remaining unsold. Wines expected to arrive winter 2026.To place an order, click on the wines below or call 020 7638 5998