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Issue 135 & 136 January/February & March/April 2010 2008 RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY A trio of stylish, well balanced, excellent value Chardonnays. The RRV is full bodied, somewhat toasty in style, and ripely flavored; a very good wine, tasting of lemon peel, toast, peach, and oak. 9,200 cases. The Sonoma Coast is excellent: a full bodied, crisp, moderately complex wine, with pear, apple, toast, lemon peel, and spicy oak aromas/flavors. Long finish. 5,500 cases. The Carneros bottling is crisp and lightly oaked; a fine Chardonnay, in a medium-full style. It is full bodied, smoothly textured, and medium long on the finish, tasting of pineapple, toast, pear, apple, and lemon peel. 3,500 cases. [2010-2011] Issue 133 & 134 September/October & November/December 2009 2007 HUDSON VYD., NAPA VALLEY, CARNEROS Perhaps the best versions yet of these wines, and among the best 2007 Chardonnay's we have tasted. The Hudson is fleshy and full bodied; a Chardonnay with wonderful depth and breadth on the palate. It is finely flavored (pear, honey, baked bread, lemon peel, vanilla, and oak), and very long on the finish. Can be aged a bit. 975 cases. The Ritchie is very complex in style (more so than previous vintages); a crisp, full bodied, near-Burgundian wine, with intense flavors, and a long finish, tasting of roasted nut, pink grapefruit, vanilla, toast, and honey. 1,275 cases. The Hyde Vineyard is splendid: beautifully balanced, full bodied, and complex in flavor; a wine with fine development on the palate, and a persistent finish, tasting of peach, lemon peel, grapefruit, toast, vanilla, and spicy oak. 1,795 cases. [2011-2013] 2006 CLARET, NAPA VALLEY Issue 130 Vol. 21, No. 3 March/April 2009 Ramey 2006 Larkmead Vyd., Napa Valley Fleshy and medium rich, this is a complex, smoothly textured wine, with very ripe fruit character (cassis, berry jam), and layers of oak (cedar, tobacco, vanilla, toast); long finish. [2012-2016] Ramey 2006 Pedregal Vyd., Oakville Issue 128 Vol. 21, No. 1 November/December 2008 Ramey 2006 Chardonnay, Hudson Vyd., Carneros, Napa Valley A trio of very fine Chardonnays. The Hudson is a ripely flavored, full bodied wine, with excellent depth, and a very long finish. It tastes of pear, lemon peel, crème caramel, vanilla, roasted nut, apple, and spicy oak. 1,350 cases. The Hyde is exceptional: fleshy, full, and well balanced; a wine with rich fruitiness and layers of complexity. It tastes of baked pear, lemon peel, orange blossom, toast, and baked bread. 2,550 cases. The Ritchie is somewhat lighter than either the Hyde or Hudson, but is very well balanced and finely flavored, with a very long finish reminiscent of lemon peel, roasted nut, baked bread, vanilla, baked pear, and lime. 1,325 cases. [2010-2012] Ramey 2006 Syrah, Shanel Vyd., Sonoma Coast A stylish, full flavored, well balanced Syrah, with fine balance and length. The wine is complex, not dissimilar in character to fine versions of Cote Rotie. It tastes of blackberry, clove, toast, raspberry, and spicy oak. Very long finish. [2009-2010] Issue 127 Vol. 20, No. 6 September/October 2008 Ramey 2005 Jericho Canyon Vineyard, Napa Valley Fleshy and full bodied; an excellent, rich Cabernet, with good depth and balance, and aromas/flavors reminiscent of blackberry, cedar, toast, and black currant, and kola nut. Lightly oaky finish. [2010-2014] Issue 125 &126 Vol. 20, No. 4 & 5 May/June & July/August 2008 Ramey 2006 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley These are excellent, well balanced wines. The RRV is round, full bodied, crisp, and long on the palate, with peach, grapefruit, roasted nut, and modest oak aromas/flavors. Fine quality. The Carneros is supple and full bodied; a moderately rich Chardonnay, with a very long finish, tasting of roasted nut, apple, toast, lime, and spicy oak. [2008-2009] Issue 124 Vol. 20, No. 3 March/April 2008 Ramey 2005 Claret, Napa Valley A supple, well balanced blend, that is full bodied, velvety in texture, and long on the finish, tasting of cherry, toast, roasted nut, pepper, and spicy oak. 54% CS, 25% ME, 12% CF, 7% SY, 1% MB, 1% PV. 6,100 cases [2009-2011] Ramey 2005 Syrah Sonoma Coast Issue 121 & 122 Vol. 19, No. 6 and Vol. 20, No. 1 Sept/Oct & Nov/Dec 2008 Ramey 2005 Chardonnay, Hyde Vyd., Carneros, Napa Valley Great trio of Chardonnays; among Ramey’s best ever. The Hyde bottling is full bodied and medium rich; a very fine Chardonnay, with breadth and depth of flavor, and a very long finish, tasting of pear, apple, roasted nut, toast, and pineapple. 2,800 cases. The Hudson is superb: supple and ripely flavored, with rich fruitiness, evident complexity, and a very long finish, tasting of roasted pine nut, pear, pineapple, lime, vanilla, and new oak. 2,300 cases. The Ritchie is also exceptional: a very elegantly styled Chardonnay, that is full bodied, refined in flavor (lemon peel, pink grapefruit, peach, toast, roasted nut), crisp, and very long on the finish. First rate. 1,050 cases [2008-20010] Issue 119 & 120 Vol. 19, No. 4 & 5 May/June & July/August 2007 Ramey 2005 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
Two stylish, well balanced Chardonnays. The RRV is aromatic and elegant; full bodied, crisp, and long on the palate with a finish reminiscent of lemon peel, orange blossom, lime, toast, and spicy oak. 6,100 cases. The Carneros is round, full bodied, and medium rich; a Chardonnay with good flavor and depth, and a long finish. It tastes of apple, toast, toasted nut, and lemon peel. 3,900 cases. [2008-2009] Issue 116 Vol. 19, No. 1 November/December 2006 Ramey 2004 Chardonnay Hudson Vyd., Carneros, Napa Valley
Two exceptional Chardonnays, in very different styles. The Hudson is bigger in structure, the Ritchie is a bit lighter, but finer. The Hudson is full, round, complex, and long on the finish, with aromas/flavors reminiscent of lemon peel, roasted nut, apple, pineapple, and toast. 1,120 cases. The Ritchie is full bodied yet crisp, with less apparent weight and more zestiness on the palate, and a range of somewhat exotic (i.e., tropical oriented) flavors, tasting of kiwi fruit, roasted nut, cherimoya, peach, toast, and baked bread. 830 cases. [2007-2009] Ramey 2004 Claret, Napa Valley
Best version yet of this wine. Fleshy and full bodied, this is a smoothly textured, well balanced wine, tasting of black currant, boysenberry, toast, cedar, and tobacco. Long aftertaste. [2007-2009] Ramey 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Larkmead Vyd., Napa Valley
A fleshy, powerful Cabernet, that is ripely flavored, firmly structured, and very long on the palate, with a smooth, persistent finish. It tastes of blackberry, toasted oak, black currant, cherry, spicy oak, and cedar. 1,360 cases. [2009-2012] Ramey 2004 Syrah Sonoma Coast
A spicy, toasty, full bodied Syrah, that is crisp and long on the palate, with a lightly oaky finish. 180 cases. [2007-2008] Issue 112 Vol. 18, No. 3 March/April 2006
Ramey 2004 Russian River Valley
Ramey is producing a range of fine Chardonnays that are excellent values for their respective tiers. The RRV bottling is a firm, full bodied, well balanced Chardonnay, that is crisp and long on the palate, and tastes of lemon peel, peach, toast, roasted nut, and lime. 2,870 cases. The Carneros bottling is mildly fleshier, with good depth and balance, and a long aftertaste, reminiscent of baked pear, peach, lemon, toast, and vanilla. 1,800 cases. The single vineyard wines display more weight and personality. The Ritchie is full bodied and richly flavored; a fine Chardonnay, with subtle, complex character (roasted nut, apple lemon peel, pineapple), crisp acidity, and a long finish. 600 cases. The Hudson is a full styled Chardonnay, that is round and long on the palate, with subtle, rich character, firm acidity, and a long aftertaste, tasting of roasted nut, apple, honey, lime, and toast. 830 cases. The Hyde is exceptional: fleshy and rich, with depth of fruit, evident complexity, and a very long finish. It tastes of pear, apple, toast, roasted nut, lemon peel, creme brulee, and vanilla. 1800 cases. Vol. 17, No. 1 November/December 2004 Ramey 2002 Hudson Vineyard Again, two of the best Chardonnays of the vintage. The Hudson is round and full bodied; a medium intense Chardonnay, which is fleshy and long on the palate, and tastes of cherimoya, roasted nut, vanilla, oak, and pineapple. 1,860 cases. The Hyde is a bit fleshier and riper in flavor; a rich, round, complex Chardonnay, with full body, complex flavors, and excellent balance. It tastes of roasted nut, vanilla, grapefruit, apple and pineapple. 2,400 cases. Vol. 16, No. 6 September/October 2004 Ramey, 2002 Claret Napa Valley Ramey 2002 Carneros Two excellent Chardonnays. The Carneros bottling is fleshy, full bodied, and medium rich Chardonnay, with good balance. It has ripe fruit, toast, lemon peel and roasted nut aromas/flavors. Long finish. The Russian River Valley is a bit finer; crisp, intensely flavored, and long on the palate, with a persistent finish. It tastes of lemon peel, baked apple, pineapple, vanilla, and roasted nut.
Vol. 15 No. 1 November/December 2002 Ramey-Carneros, Napa Valley
Vol. 14 No. 5 July/August 2002 Ramey
Vol. 14 No. 1 November/December 2001 Ramey – Napa Valley, Carneros |
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