David Ramey on his wines: A Seminar and Lunch organized by Augustan Wine Imports

David Ramey, based to a large extent on his groundbreaking work with California Chardonnays, is held in high regard by consumers, reviewers, and peers. Writing in Vinous, Antonio Galloni stated: "In my mind, Ramey is one of the top wineries in the US." Stephen Brook sees Ramey as one of California's best and most respected winemakers (Decanter 3/2015).

I was first exposed to David and his wines a little over 10 years ago (while a student at a now-defunct wine education school) where he delivered a Masterclass that blew the attendees away. I became a fan that day and became even more committed when I found that his wines improved nicely with cellar time.

 More recently, I was invited to a Ramey Wine Cellars Seminar and lunch organized by Augustan Wine Imports and held at The Capital Grille (International Drive, Orlando, FL).

Attendees at the Lunch and Seminar

Prior to our tasting the wines, David spoke at some length about his history, philosophy, and vitivinicultural practices.

David Ramey

The timeline below provides an overview of his winemaking activities.

Ramey owns Westside Farms but sources most of the needed grapes from vineyards in "the finest growing locations in California's premier wine regions." A map of the sources for Ramey Wine Cellars (as well as David's second project -- Sidebar Cellars --) are shown in the two charts following.

To make great wines, he said, he takes chances after harvesting his grapes at the last possible moment.Today David is best known for his groundbreaking work with native yeasts and bacteria, barrel fermentation, sur lie aging, fining, and non-filtration. These practices result in a California style that is "richer, more lush, and silky smooth."

During our tasting of the Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay, David began to wax poetic about the DIAM cork. He did not go into any great detail but I went online and found an interview that he did with Stephen Tanzer in July 2017 on said topic. Some of the key takeaways of that conversation are as follows:

• Corks are the most important variable in the aging process of the wine
• Any difference in bottle variation results from the cork
• Red wines are better able to hide the results of oxidation than is the case for white wines
• Differing amounts of aging between bottles vinified, aged, and bottled together is the result of different amounts of oxygen let into the bottle by the cork
• He began working experimentally with DIAM corks back in 2009 and after 5 years of tests found:
• Uniformity of oxygen ingress into the bottle
• DIAM protects the wine better than do natural corks
• No extractables from the DIAM cork into the wine.

Today Ramey produces 35,000 cases annually and sells those wines in all 50 states and 35 countries.

The Tasting
The tasting was bookended with Sidebar wines: the 2017 Sidebar Sauvignon Blanc, High Valley as the Reception wine and the 2016 Sidebar Old Vine Zinfandel, Russian River Valley as the accompaniment to the dessert course. The Chardonnay flight was comprised of three wines, one a non-vineyard-designate from the Russian River Valley and one each from the Ritchie and Rochioli vineyards. The red flight was comprised of a 2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, a 2016 Ramey Claret, and a 2014 Ramey Annum Cabernet Sauvignon.

As shown in the chart titled Sidebar Cellars Grape Sources, the grapes for 2017 Sidebar Sauvignon Blanc are sourced from the Brassfield Estate in Lake County's High Valley AVA. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed and the juice fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks (40%) and old oak barrels (60%). Malolactic fermentation was restricted. The wine was aged sur lie in the fermentation vessels for 4 months before release on the market.

Notes: This wine is high-toned and perfumed on the nose with notes of lemon-lime, herbs and bark. Open on the palate with lemon and lime flavors and minerality. Austere. Drying finish.

The 2016 Ramey Russian River Valley Chardonnay is made with grapes drawn from Martinell Laughlin (28%), Dutton Perry Ranch (19%), Dutton Sebastopol (14%), Dutton Mengle (13%), Westside Farms Block 3 (13%), Dutton Mill Station (11%) and Rochioli Allen (2%). The grapes were whole-cluster pressed and then fermented with native yeasts in French oak barrels (François Frères and Taransaud Beaune). There is no separation of pressed and free-run juice. Full malolactic fermentation with native bacteria. The wines are aged sur lie with weekly bâtonnage for 12 months (95% in 25 new French oak and 5% in concrete egg). The grapes were fermented and aged separately and blended just before bottling. The wines were fined for clarity and bottled without filtering.

Notes: Apple-pear and sweet ripe fruit on the nose. Thick and rich on the palate with a slight bitter note. Good acid level. Long finish.

A warm winter and wet spring in 2015 resulted in smaller crops and smaller, concentrated berries in the Russian River Valley. The 2015 Ramey Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay and the 2015 Ramey Rochioli Vineyard Russian River Valley were both subjected to the same winemaking regime as was the Russian River Valley Chardonnay except that only Taransaud barrels (20% new) were used and the aging was extended to 20 months.

Notes: The Ritchie Vineyard was more restrained than the Russian River Valley Chardonnay. Sweet white fruit, green herbs and an oiliness on the nose. Rounder on the palate with a drying minerality. Lengthy finish. The Rochioli was sweet, rich, and oily on the nose. Rounder but less intense and lighter-bodied on the palate than the Ritchie. Mineral. Most elegant of the Chardonnays tasted. Round and balanced. I loved this wine.

David Ramey and the author

The 2016 Ramey Russian River Valley Pinot Noir was sourced thusly: 52% from De La Montanya; 28% from Bucher Vineyard Tory Block (Pommard); and 20% Bucher Vineyard North (Dijon 777). The wine was aged sur lie (with monthly bâtonnage) in 49% new French oak for a total of 14 months. The wine was subjected to light egg-white fining prior to bottling without filtration.

Notes: Pinot nose. Rich, red fruit. Sweet strawberry and cherries. Elegant on the palate. Red fruit with long, slightly bitter finish.

The 2016 Ramey Claret, a Bordeaux blend, was aged for 12 months in 13% new French and American oak barrels.

Notes: Broad. Red fruit, green bean, and sugar cane, baking spices on the nose. Thick, rich, sweet fruit on the palate. Long finish.

The 2014 Ramey Annum is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc. Aged sur lie with bi-monthly bâtonnage for 24 months in new French oak.

Notes: Black currant, blueberries, mint, chocolate, baking spices, and cigar box on the nose. Red and black fruit on the palate along with earth and herbs.

The grapes for the 2016 Sidebar Old Vine Zinfandel was co-harvested and co-fermented. The juice was fermented with native yeasts and the resulting wine aged sur lie in neutral oak barrels for 7 months.

Notes: Black fruit, cinnamon, licorice and cherry on the nose. Fruit flavors and spice on the palate. Drying finish.

This was a wonderful event. Thanks to Augustan Wine Imports for organizing and also extending me an invite. David's dynamism and expertise in topics wine-related is unsurpassed in these United States. His wines are well-made and stay around for the long-haul. While Burgundy continues to battle with premox, Ramey's Chardonnays remain untroubled and unaffected by this phenomenon.

I bought the Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay and the Russian River Pinot Noir at the conclusion of the event.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme