Ramey’s 2023 Chardonnay “Ritchie Vineyard” is a single-vineyard Russian River Valley bottling and the final release from a partnership that began in 2002. Fruit comes from the storied Ritchie Vineyard, planted largely to Old Wente selection in the early 1970s on Goldridge loam. Ramey’s approach is traditional for the house: whole-cluster pressing, native-yeast barrel fermentation with full malolactic, and extended aging in French oak with a modest proportion of new barrels, then bottled unfiltered.
The reviews agree on an expressive, concentrated style that still leans on acidity and mineral detail rather than overt sweetness. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (95) calls it “intensely perfumed and expressive,” with “waves of matchstick, peach, pineapple, lemongrass and jasmine,” and notes a “full-bodied palate” with “flint-laced flavors,” where “racy acidity” keeps the wine moving through a “long, shimmery finish.” Decanter (94) similarly emphasizes aroma, pointing to Musqué clone pockets that help make it “so aromatic,” and describing “white peach, sweet white flowers, and a thread of flint underneath,” with acidity shaped in part by later picking in 2023.
Two excellent reviews highlight both richness and control. James Suckling scores it 97, describing “fragrant pear, lemon blossom, baked apple and honey” and praising that it’s “not too full-bodied at 13.5% alcohol,” yet “lushness and concentration” make it memorable. Jeb Dunnuck also awards 97, calling it “light on its feet,” with “flinty wet stones… salted lime, lemon meringue, key lime, and fresh pastry,” and concluding it is “full-bodied yet incredibly elegant and refined,” with “terrific depth.”
Wine Spectator (94) underscores precision—“focus, intensity and precision” with apple and citrus-sorbet tones—and provides a key fact: “377 cases made,” with a drinking window “now through 2038.” Vinous (93) finds it “powerful and quite savory,” with “orchard fruit, dried herbs, marzipan… and chalk,” suggesting a more assertive shape than some Ramey Chardonnays, but still firmly in the top tier for site-driven California Chardonnay.
