2015 Sidebar, Red Field Blend, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA

2015 Sidebar, Red Field Blend, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA

Product: 20151622090
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2015 Sidebar, Red Field Blend, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA

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Description

This wine comes from the Alegria vineyard (in Sonoma County’s Russian River. Certified sustainable, the site has complex alluvial, gravelly loam, marine and volcanic soils. The gnarly head-trained vines range from 60 to 125 years old. The field blend is mostly Zinfandel (80 percent) with Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Carignan, Trousseau, Petite Bouschet, Syrah, Beclan, Tannat, Peloursin, Graciano, Plavac Mali, Palomino, Monbadon. This undergoes a 20-day ferment and maceration before being aged in neutral oak barrels for 14 months. The resultant wine has dark, red-berried fruit with spiciness. The palate has voluptuous but structured tannins, with great freshness at its core.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate87/100
Composed of 80% Zinfandel, 11% Alicante and 9% Petite Sirah, the 2015 Red Field Blend is medium garnet-purple in color and scented of raspberry preserved and kirsch with nuances of pepper, garrigue, dried herbs and spice box. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is filled with red berry preserves and spicy layers, with a nice plush texture to support, followed by an uplifting finish.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - 29/06/2018 Read more

About this WINE

Ramey Wine Cellars

Ramey Wine Cellars

David Ramey built his reputation at such luminary wineries as Matanzas Creek and Dominus before he and his wife Carla established Ramey Wine Cellars in 1996.

From his earliest experiences in wine, David has been inspired by European styles. Having worked in France at Château Pétrus, he dedicated himself to applying the old-world techniques he absorbed to the perfectly ripe fruit of Napa and Sonoma. At a time when technical winemaking, straight out of the textbook, was the norm in California this made David something of a pioneer on the west coast. He remains one of the most influential winemakers in North America.

David and his wife Carla started small, their first two wines were Chardonnays from the Hyde and Hudson vineyards. To tell the story of their terroir David vinified each in the same fashion, leaving only the quality of the fruit to express the personality of the vineyards. This is a practice continued today across the range of Chardonnays.

In common with most Californian wineries, the majority of grapes are bought in rather than from estate-owned vines. David’s deep understanding of the region and its vineyards have ensured that he only works with great vineyards farmed by great people. His long-standing relationships allowing for a collaborative approach to get the best quality from each site and exemplify their character.

Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon play the leading roles at Ramey, with most of the Chardonnay coming from the cool Sonoma where proximity to the coast gives more exposure to the morning fogs. The Cabernet is all classic Napa. A Sonoma Syrah was added in 2004 and they have subsequently diversified the range with parcels of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir which David could not resist trying his hand at.

David believes that better farming is the key to California’s continued and growing success. They manage vineyards they lease themselves using organic methods and work hand in hand with their growers to promote sustainable and low intervention methods.

In the winery David’s approach is recognisably Burgundian. Grapes are pressed without crushing to avoid skin contact. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in barrel followed by aging on fine lees and battonage. Malolactic fermentation is allowed to happen. David’s view is that the answer to flabby over-oaked Chardonnay’s once popular with the critics is not to go 180° but to take a balanced approach. This is precisely what he has always done – making wines for critics has never been part of the mantra.

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Other Varieties

Other Varieties

There are over 200 different grape varieties used in modern wine making (from a total of over 1000). Most lesser known blends and varieties are traditional to specific parts of the world.

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