2021 Ramey, Hyde Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa Valley, California, USA

2021 Ramey, Hyde Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa Valley, California, USA

Product: 20211199552
Prices start from £88.00 per bottle (75cl). Buying options
2021 Ramey, Hyde Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa Valley, California, USA

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Description

You can taste the coolness of the vintage in this super-finessed Chardonnay. Full malolactic conversion and bâtonnage have resulted in a lovely texture to the palate. There is plenty of ripe stone fruit, too. Only 20% of the French used in maturation is new, so whilst there is the added complexity of spice, this is not overpowering. This is a lovely vintage for Ramey's Hyde and well worth seeking out.

Liam McKeown, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (August 2024)

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Critics reviews

Antonio Galloni, Vinous93/100

The 2021 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard represents a decidedly understated side of this site. But, the Hyde Chardonnay here now includes a new version of Calera clone in the blend, and that is part of what has shifted the style of this wine. Apricot, chamomile, spice and light tropical overtones all grace this silky, creamy Chardonnay. This is especially finessed.

Drink 2024 - 2031

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (January 2024)

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James Suckling98/100

The only Napa-grown chardonnay in the Ramey lineup is arguably its best. Combining lush, concentrated fruit and spice flavors with vibrant acidity, the wine is tempting and delicious now but has a long track record for improving with age for 10 to 15 years. The intensity of lemon curd, lime zest, vanilla bean and custard flavors is virtually unmatched, while the tangy acidity perfectly balances the full body and creamy feel of this memorable wine. Drink or hold.

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (April 2024)

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Jeb Dunnuck97/100

The 2021 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard offers a sunny feel in its notes of almond, toasted spices, and ripe yellow apples, and it’s toasty with mineral lift. Medium to full-bodied. It’s fantastic and mouthwatering on the palate, with great structure, a weightless feel, and a long finish. These are really some of my favorite wines, and this is no exception.

Drink 2025 - 2040

Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com (June 2024)

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About this WINE

Ramey Wine Cellars

Ramey Wine Cellars

David Ramey, renowned for his work at Dominus, founded Ramey Wine Cellars with his wife Carla in 1996. Inspired by European styles and his experience at Petrus, David applied old-world techniques to Napa and Sonoma fruit, pioneering a unique approach in California winemaking.

Starting with two Chardonnay from Hyde and Hudson vineyards, David emphasised terroir by vinifying them identically, letting the fruit express the vineyard’s character. Today, Ramey focuses on Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, with grapes sourced from top vineyards in Napa and Sonoma, and has expanded to include Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.

David advocates for better farming practices, managing leased vineyards organically and collaborating with growers to promote sustainability. In the winery, his Burgundian approach includes gentle pressing, barrel fermentation, ageing on fine lees, and malolactic fermentation. He avoids making wines solely for critics, instead aiming for balanced, expressive wines.

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[Los] Carneros

[Los] Carneros

Los Carneros AVA straddles the foot of Napa & Sonoma Counties. The larger portion of the AVA actually lies within Sonoma County; grapes from that part can also use the Sonoma Valley AVA designation. The smaller section, in Napa County, uses Napa Valley AVA on the label.

It is one of the coolest areas in California, its vineyards benefiting from a combination of mountain elevation (up to 300m) and the constant cooling effect of fog and breezes from the San Pablo/San Francisco Bay nearby.

Initially a hot-spot for fruit for sparkling wine production during the 1970/80s, pioneered by Gloria Ferrer, Domaine Carneros, and Codorníu Napa. It has since become a mecca for Chardonnay aficionados and more recently, of Pinot Noir. 

David Ramey is famous for his Hudson & Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay.

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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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When is a wine ready to drink?

We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.

Not ready

These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.

Ready - youthful

These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.

Ready - at best

These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.

Ready - mature

These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.