2017 Ramey, Westside Farms Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley,California, USA

2017 Ramey, Westside Farms Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley,California, USA

Product: 20178058432
Prices start from £80.50 per bottle (75cl). Buying options
2017 Ramey, Westside Farms Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley,California, USA

Buying options

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Description

We’ve stepped up a gear here but in a subtle way. This is a tightly wound single vineyard with a complex array of sweet spice, vanilla pods and white chocolate on the nose. Chardonnay is on flying form at the 2017 Westside Farms site and you can feel the sunshine of Russian River emanating from the glass. Apricot pastries, custard creams with acidity that lifts the wine. The wine is viscous, full and juicy and whilst it’s ready to go now, I would give it a bit of time in the cellar. The lasting citrus flavour on the finish keeps you coming back for one more sip. Drink 2022-2033.
Tatiana Humphreys, Private Account Manager (September 2020)

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Critics reviews

Antonio Galloni, Vinous93/100
The 2017 Chardonnay Westside Farms is another of the more exuberant wines in this range. Apricot, lightly honeyed notes, chamomile and dried flowers come together in an ample, creamy Chardonnay. Floral overtones add lift that extends the finish nicely.
Antonio Galloni, vinous.com (January 2020) Read more
Jeb Dunnuck95/100
The smallest production Chardonnay in the lineup, the 2017 Chardonnay Westside Farms Vineyard comes from a site in the Russian River Valley and spent 20 months in 20% new French oak. As with all these 2017s from David Ramey, it reveals a vivid, medium gold hue as well as classic Chardonnay notes of white flowers, orchard fruits, flower blossom, honeysuckle, and toasted bread. The oak is nicely integrated, it's medium to full-bodied, has bright acidity, and a great, great finish. It rivals the 2016 (and is better than the 2015) and can be enjoyed any time over the coming 10-15 years.
Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com (May 2020) 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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Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.

Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.

Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.

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