<< Back to All Reviews

2009 Vintage

91 Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar May/June 11
Greenish yellow. Smoke-accented aromas of pear skin, honey and iodine, with a floral nuance picking up strength with air. Sappy and broad, with deep, stony orchard fruit flavors and notes of chamomile and saffron. Offers an intriguing mix of depth and vibrancy and finishes with solid grip and spicy persistence. Give this a little air if you insist on drinking it now.

2008 Vintage

91 Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar May/June 10
Expressive nose offers musky apple, pear, orange zest and smoky minerals. Dense and textured but quite dry and mineral-dominated, with very good purity and mouth-staining citrus and herbal flavors. Strong but harmonious acidity gives the refreshingly bitter finish impressive focus and cut.

90 Robert M. Parker Jr.'s The Wine Advocate, December 2010
Even better is the 2008 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast, which offers up notes of crushed rocks, waxy brioche, white peaches, white currants and buttered citrus. This fresh, medium-bodied wine possesses both flavor authority and finesse. It, too, can be drunk over the next 2-3 years.

88 (one puff) Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, October 2010
The most severe of the Ramey offerings in this issue, the Sonoma Coast bottling smells of limes and minerals with Gala apples and Meyer lemon sweet citrus held in the background. Expectedly firm and somewhat "straight-sided" in the mouth with lemony fruit stepping out in front of the appley and oaky notes, the wine is chalky in texture and brisk in aftertaste. It suggests a touch of a Chablisienne character in its mouthfeel but still carries California in its rock candy fruit.

Four stars Ronn Wiegand’s Restaurant Wine, Issue # 135 & 136
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.

91 California Grapevine, Vol. 36, No. 3, June-July 2010
Medium-light golden yellow color; attractive, intense, slightly buttery, green apple aroma with a trace of new oak in the background; medium-full to full body; assertive, fresh, lemony, green apple flavors with crisp acidity; well balanced and structured; lingering aftertaste. Similar in style to their Russian River bottling. Very highly recommended.

2007 Vintage

91 Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar May/June 09
Pale yellow. Pure, finely etched aromas of lemon, pink grapefruit, Anjou pear, tarragon and white pepper. Racy citrus and orchard fruit flavors are given depth by melon and candied licorice qualities, with dusty minerals adding grip. This wine's light touch and finishing precision are impressive, and it's balanced to age.

89 (one puff) Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, January 2010
Sporting somewhat more weight, a slightly fleshier feel and more overt richness than its zestier mate from Russian River, Ramey's Sonoma Coast bottling combines elements of ripe apples with a touch of lemons and limes and is a slight touch more obvious in its oak. If not quite as crisp as its siblings, it wants not for acid, and its very firm, very long finish is a harbinger of better things to come down the line.

89 Robert M. Parker Jr.'s The Wine Advocate February 2010, Issue 187
The medium-bodied 2007 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast exhibits crisp, fresh, mineral-laced white peach and citrus characteristics along with zesty acidity and an attractive exuberant style. This graceful Chardonnay can be enjoyed over the next several years.

90 California Grapevine, Vol. 35, No. 3, June-July 2009
Medium-light golden yellow; attractive, herbal, earthy, spicy, lemony, ripe pear and green apple aroma; medium-full to full body; crisp, lemony, pear and green apple flavors; well balanced and structured; crisp finish; lingering aftertaste. Very highly recommended.

2006 Vintage

91 (two puffs) Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, Oct. 2008
The leader of the Ramey bunch in this Issue features the deep, outgoing, pulpy yet still developing fruit that is so typical of the best from the winery. Clearly focused on Pippin apple's tart and juicy characteristics and enriched by hints of toast, creme brulee and a wisp of pineapple, this balanced, solidly constructed effort can be served today alongside most white-fleshed fishes now or over the next several years.

90 Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar May/June 2008
Green-hued yellow. Spicy lemon and orange aromas are complicated by smoky lees and floral honey. Sharply focused and pure, with tangy citrus and green apple flavors, medium weight and good mineral lift. The leesy quality returns on the long, juicy finish of this vibrant wine.

2005 Vintage

91 Robert M. Parker Jr.’s The Wine Advocate, December 2007, Issue 174
The 2005 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast reveals aromas of lemon custard and orange blossoms presented in a medium to full-bodied, elegant, pure style with excellent underlying acidity.

2004 Vintage

91 (two puffs) Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine, June 2006
While very much showing Ramey's typical richness and careful melding of lively fruit, creamy oak and complexing lees, this one is a bit narrow and more tightly drawn than its siblings with a streak of brisk acidity firming its latter palate and finish. If we were to pull its cork now, we would opt for service with meaty fish, but its depth signals clear potential for improvement with age, and we would opt first for letting it sit quietly for a couple more years.

90 Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar May/June 2006
Pale yellow. Aromas of lemon curd and honey. Suave and ripe, with lovely ripe acidity framing the lemon drop and leesy flavors. Offers a subtly chewy texture. Finishes bright and persistent.

2003 Vintage

90  Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar May/June 2005
Full medium yellow with a green tinge. Very ripe aromas of pear, orange, honey and nuts, plus a lively suggestion of greener fruits. The sweetest and thickest of these three appellation bottlings, with exotic flavors of orange oil and spice. Chewy and long. An impressive wine considering that the vines are very young.

Bottles & Pricing

Current Vintage: 2009

750ml

$38.00