Ramey, Platt Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, California, USA, 2010

Hefty, oaky nose, with apple compote and apricots. Bright attack, fresher than the nose, concentrated with intense acidity. There is quite a substantial oak component but I would tip the fruit to win with further ageing. David Ramey is one of California’s best and most respected winemakers. In the early 1990s he was the winemaker at Dominus, and then at Rudd. But for over a decade he has run his own winery, sourcing fruit from outstanding vineyards. Setting up his own label allowed him to return to his first love: making Chardonnay. Ramey makes no apology for the fact that likes a full-bodied, ripe expression of Chardonnay, and he is not one of the winemakers striving to produce an ultra-lean Burgundian style. Platt Vineyard is a very cool site, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean, and is the source of the wine many consider Ramey’s top Chardonnay, in which the intensity of fruit is balanced by excellent acidity, resulting in a wine of great vibrancy. The vintage tasted was 2010, and the wine showed little sign of maturity, and is still hitting its stride.