2015 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Annum California Red

2015 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Annum

95 RP

Featured Review

Medium to deep ruby, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum is made up of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec. The nose features licorice, dried leaves, cedar, vanilla pod and iron aromas with mint chocolate, cumin, cardamom, coffee bean and a core of red and black fruits—so many layers and exotic spice notes! Medium to full-bodied, it explodes with luscious fruits, chocolate and spice accents, framed by very ripe, grainy tannins and great freshness and finishing long and layered. Yes! 842 cases were made. Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Robert Parker | 95 RP

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum is another wine in this range that really benefits from an added year in bottle. Black cherry, chocolate, mocha, leather, spice and plum give the 2016 its feeling of voluptuousness. The 100% new oak now feels much better integrated than it did a year ago.

Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

The flagship is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum, another wine that plays in the more elegant, pretty end of the spectrum. Notes of cassis, kirsch, cedary spice, and earth all flow to a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, balanced Cabernet that has polished tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. Give bottles a year or two and it’s going to keep for 15+ years.

Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

This blends in a healthy 17% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec, the grapes from several of the valley's appellations, including Oakville and Mount Veeder. In total, the wine is intense in power and tightly wound grip, with textured layers of tar, cocoa powder and black currant. It has years to go in bottle. Enjoy 2025–2030.

Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Ripe and suave in feel, with waves of red currant, cherry and plum preserves gliding through, laced with subtle savory, cedar and floral hints, providing lift through the stylish finish. A minerally echo adds range. Distinctive. Best from 2021 through 2032. 842 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 93 WS

David Ramey's proprietary red blend, 81% Cabernet Sauvignon in 2015, is polished and plump, with juicy red fruits, medium-full body and supple texture. Not so much soft as it is nicely integrated and seamless, it's a pleasure to drink already. Drinking Window 2019 - 2029.

Decanter | 90 DEC

Type of Wine	California Red : Whether it's Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Zinfandel, Californian red wine producers have a lovely habit of taking a varietal and expressing its essence in a unique, never before seen way. From Napa Valley to the regions south of Los Angeles, there's a red for everyone - and it's never too late to start exploring.
Varietal	Cabernet Sauvignon : It is recognized worldwide, referred to as “king of grapes” and has easily become the most popular grape variety in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon has seemingly taken the world by storm. It has seen exponential growth and popularity in American and around the world over the past thirty years. The phrase “Cabernet is king,” is a common maxim in the world of wine. Cabernet Sauvignon wine has become so popular that when being referred to can be recognized by simple slang, such as “Cab” or “Cabernet. It might appear simple, straightforward and easily understood; yet, interestingly remains an enigma, which has both baffled and excited oenologists since its discovery. The exact origin and circumstances of this world-altering event are still enigmatic; however, at the end of the 20th century, UC Davis Scientists (John Bowers and Carole Meredith) were able to solve part of the mystery using DNA fingerprinting technology that proved Cabernet Sauvignon to be the offspring of a surprising spontaneous crossing of Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. By the 18th century there were already records of Cabernet Sauvignon being well-established on the west side of the Gironde Estuary (Left Bank) in the Medoc and Graves. Although tremendously popular in California and what seems to have become the identity of Napa Valley winemaking, Cabernet Sauvignon’s birth took place in the Bordeaux region of southwest France by fortuitous unification. Whereas Napa Valley experienced a winemaking renaissance during the 1970’s and 1980s (greatly due to the 1976 Judgement of Paris) quality wine from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape has been produced in the Medoc, on the Left Bank of Bordeaux for over 400 years. Cabernet Sauvignon’s first recorded plantings in California can be traced back to the 1850’s when Antoine Delmas, a French nurseryman, brought French vines (including one called ‘Cabrunet’) to the Santa Clara Valley. Early cultivation suffered due to obscurity of the varietal and improper planting in inhospitable soil. It wasn’t until pioneers such as Robert Mondavi, Randy Dunn and Warren Winiarski with their amazing foresight and understanding of terroir, would the grape variety finally find its niche in California winemaking. Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in warm climates moderated by a cooling marine influence. It is perfectly attuned to gravel-based soils with good drainage. Whether on flat land or a hillside, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape flourishes in proper climates and terroir, producing incredible yields. The thick grapevine is extremely vigorous allowing it to exploit its natural host. Its distinctive small, black berries (reminiscent of blueberries) adhere firmly to the stalk and are capable of a very long “hang time.” These berries are extremely concentrated, producing intensely flavored fruit. The thick skins of the grape are characterized as having highly astringent flavor, high tannin, acidity and dark color. Coincidentally, the variety has a special affinity for oak, which helps soften the bitterness. Today, the Noble Bordeaux varietal of Cabernet Sauvignon is planted on 340,000 hectares (741,300 acres) of vineyards across the earth’s surface. From Sicily to Sonoma, Chile to Bordeaux, South Africa to Napa. It has found symbiosis in terroir hotspots that mimic that of the Medoc and Napa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon’s globetrotting has allowed the grape variety to take root all over the world, captivating its inhabitants and influencing winemaking. This serendipitous marriage between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc centuries ago, which offered to the world its progeny, has changed the landscape of winegrowing, winemaking and the face of the entire wine market forever. It has influenced blending, changed civilization and has cultivated a place for itself in today’s world… the very pinnacle.
Country	US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region	California : With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world's most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region's produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it. While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California's most talented. Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover would die to visit. California's quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine.
Subregion	Napa Valley

Producer	Ramey : With over 40 years of experience, David Ramey has built a staggering reputation. Ramey’s resume is quite impressive including involvement with half a dozen famous wineries not including his very own. In 1996 while working at Dominus, he was given permission by Christian Moueix to make a “little Chardonnay.” And so sparked the flame that would eventually lead to award winning Chardonnays. Ramey now employs his own artistic vision sticking with traditional Burgundian styled Chardonnays, rather than the much derided buttery, over oaked style. Sun-kissed California fruit married to Burgundian-style minerality is his ideal neoclassical Burgundian approach. He loves the rich texture and doesn’t worry about alcohol levels as it adds to the mouthfeel. It’s about harmony – the marriage of Old World methods with New World innovations. Ramey focuses on terroir: the vineyards are selected for their ability to produce high quality fruit. The soil must be right for the climate, which must be right for the terrain, which must be right for the varietal. Respect for the land, allowing nature to guide the process. Nearly a dozen vineyard locations are each and respectively a testament to this ideal. Though Ramey’s Chardonnays are highly recognized, he has a large portfolio of other wines including three Cabernets, a “Claret” blend, a Pinot Noir, and three Syrah. In total, the varietals combined produce around 40,000 cases annually. Whether it’s his highly esteemed Chardonnays or Napa Cabernet, Ramey wines come with a guarantee to please. Before they reach the consumer, each has been nurtured, methodically scrutinized at each level of the vilification process and hand crafted by one of the most disciplined and respected wine makers in California.