Chardonnay Wines

wines

Brought up in 20% new French oak, the 2018 Chardonnay Los Alamos reveals a light gold hue as well as a beautiful bouquet of stone fruits, toasted bread, almond paste, and honeysuckle. Beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, and seamless on the palate, it’s a gorgeous Chardonnay as well as a brilliant value!Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDLemon blossom, light pecan and classic oak aromas show on the nose of this bottling. The chalky palate and fresh, lingering acidity ride through tight lines of lemon peel and vanilla, which extend deep into the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WETasting Gavin Chanin’s majestic chardonnay bottling from Los Alamos is like standing on a hilltop in that vineyard and letting the sea spray imperceptibly coat your lips. Beneath the cinnamon spice and the citrus brightness is a kind of bracing, briny green sensation, reminding one taster of agretti,the salty springtime green that finds its way into Italian salads. The wine is bracing and delicious, with the structure to age ten years or more.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SThe nose is dominated by orange rind and starfruit with a subtle note of struck flint behind. The palate is rich, beaming and wide, exuding the sunshine and sandy soils that define this site. The Los Alamos Vineyard bottling is typically the most tropical, flashy and forward of the Chanin Chardonnays, as is the case in the 2018 vintage. 18 months in mostly neutral barrique, full malolactic fermentation. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Chardonnay Los Alamos Vineyard is a very pretty, airy wine. Candied lemon peel, almond paste and chamomile are all laced together. Tangerine oil and tropical accents add an exotic flair as this mid-weight Chardonnay opens nicely in the glass.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

A stunning wine, showing both power and elegance, this has a creamy, supple texture paired with vibrant, mouthwatering acidity that turns up the intensity. Presents plump, fleshy apricot, peach cobbler and dried mango flavors complemented by notes of savory Himalayan salt and butterscotch. The long, harmonious finish features lingering accents of candied ginger peel. Drink now through 2030. 2,100 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2019 Chardonnay (Napa Valley) is superb. Powerful and resonant in the glass, with notable depth as well as structure, the 2019 is mesmerizing. Lemon peel, white pepper, chalk and mint lend brightness throughout. There is more than enough backbone to allow the 2019 to age gracefully for years to come. What a wine!Vinous Media | 95 VM

The Ritchie Vineyard would be a grand cru if Sonoma was Burgundy, and Ramey offers one of the best renditions of it. Gorgeous, vibrant fruit melds with a pronounced minerality. There are stony and spicy nuances on a great structure of racy acidity. No hurry to drink this wine; it will gain even more complexity and layers with time. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is fabulous. A Chardonnay of stature and textural finesse, the 2021 is super-expressive right out of the gate. There’s gorgeous oiliness and nuance here. Ritchie is one of the great sites in the Russian River Valley. Vibrant mineral notes play off the wine’s notable richness. This is a fine example.Vinous Media | 94 VMThere’s good energy to the lemon sherbet, pear, lime zest and pineapple flavors at the core of this sleek, vibrant white, offering notes of white flowers, dried ginger and vetiver, plus a mouthwatering thread of saline and lemongrass on the long, expansive finish. Drink now through 2033. 455 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSDavid Ramey’s 2021 Chardonnay from the Ritchie Vineyard is made from some of the oldest chardonnay vines in California, as these were planted all the way back in 1972, with most of the vines being Wente clones. The wine is fermented with native yeasts and aged in twenty percent new oak for its twenty months of élevage, prior to bottling without filtration. The bouquet is deep, complex and classy, offering up scents of pear, golden delicious apple, hazelnut, complex minerality, gently musky floral tones, orange zest and a refined foundation of buttery oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and complex, with superb depth at the core, lovely soil inflection, a bright girdle of acidity and a long, poised and beautifully balanced finish. This is outstanding chardonnay! (Drink between 2024 - 2040)John Gilman | 93+ JG

Layered, elegant, vivid and mineral-driven, this full-bodied wine paints a distinct picture of one of Sonoma County’s oldest, most iconic chardonnay vineyards. Stone, kiwi and crisp apple notes fill the aromas, while light accents of butter and vanilla bean highlight the vibrant green apple and lime flavors. It expands on the palate and echoes for minutes in the finish. This wine is known to age well, so drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSElegant and precise, this crisp expression offers plenty to admire -- apple, lemon zest and Sumo orange notes, plus an aromatic punch of yuzu, orange blossoms and sweet grass. A quiet toasted brioche detail lingers in the background, as does a savory thread of freshly grated ginger and toasted green tea hints. Drink now through 2032. 774 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2021 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard is bright and focused, but also understated in feel. Sweet floral and citrus notes give the 2021 lovely aromatic presence to match the wine’s understated, mid-weight personality. Bright saline tones add energy and tension throughout. Lemon peel, white pepper and crushed rocks linger.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2021 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is another dense, ample wine in this range. The Woolsey Road has a good deal of phenolic intensity. There’s real breadth and resonance here. Lemon confit, white pepper and dried herbs are nicely amplified.Vinous Media | 94 VMFragrant, focused and precise, offering flavors of lemongrass and lemon blossoms, with Meyer lemon and green papaya accents, plus a touch of tangerine. Shows green tea, lemon balm and white pepper notes on a mouthwatering frame, with a hint of salinity that lingers. Drink now. 787 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRichness and concentration are the hallmarks of this full-bodied, mouth-filling wine. Deep in Bosc pears, baked apples and baking spices, it offers a creamy texture balanced by moderate acidity. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

I tasted the 2022 Chardonnay La Carrière from tank on the day of its bottling. It has an alluring delicacy on the nose with soft scents of peach, apricot, meringue, toasted bread and honeysuckle with nuances of roasted almonds and flint. The palate combines a bright spine of acidity with a satiny texture and expansive, layered stone fruit and spice layers, and it has a very long finish. 1,503 cases will be made, and the La Carrière will be released in February of 2024.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThis stunning white offers a lovely mix of marzipan and nougat, with notes of orange sherbet, lemon blossoms, salted toffee and peach preserves on a smooth, supple and elegant frame, backed by fresh acidity. Grace notes of lemon balm and lemon thyme, plus a touch of vetiver, add to the aromatic appeal and complexity. Drink now through 2037. 1,503 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

I tasted the 2022 Chardonnay Belle Côte from tank shortly before it was due to be bottled. It’s lively and generous with singular scents of lemon drop, pie crust and toasted meringue, plus integrated tones of matchstick and allspice. The medium-bodied palate is defined by its lacy, lightly mouth-coating texture. Its deep core of creamy, lemony flavors is enlivened by mouthwatering acidity, and its juxtaposition of depth and energy calls you back for another sip. 1,783 cases will be produced, and the Belle Côte will be released in February of 2024.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThis powerful version opens with a toasty mix of spices, buttery toasted brioche and carmelized apple pastry. Offers plenty of plump ripe peach, apricot and melon flavors, with a note of marmalade at the core. Candied ginger, graham cracker, salted, toasted almond and marzipan linger on the finish. Drink now through 2033. 1,783 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A barrel sample, the 2019 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes bounding out of the glass with grapefruit, green mango and orange peel notes backed up by wafts of talc, chopped nuts and a lifted, aromatic, floral perfume. It is full-bodied and intensely flavored in the mouth with a lively backbone cutting through the taut, dense citrus and tropical fruit flavors, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPSo much character on the nose here. Notes of ripe citrus, stone fruit and elderberry. Full-bodied with an oily texture and soft, staying presence. A mix of woody spice and mint creates pleasant tension between warm and cool. Such a layered and intriguing wine. Totally delicious. Pine at the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is powerful, explosive and also very phenolic in feel. There is real density in the CIX. Lemon oil, marzipan, white flowers, ripe pear and mint are all beautifully delineated. The CIX is deep but also wonderfully transparent. The cool growing season yielded a Chardonnay of remarkable finesse. This site, planted with Montrachet Clone Chardonnay, was the last to be picked.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMPowerful and refined, this glides across the palate with concentrated dried apple and pear flavors that show hints of citrus, backed by fresh acidity and almost tannic nuances. The finish unfurls with creamy lushness, minerality and rich, toasty accents. Drink now through 2026. 1,282 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Oozing with character, this succulent and mouthwatering white offers a fleshy, juicy mix of perfectly ripe peach, mango and lemon bar flavors, with fresh herbal accents of lemon verbena and vetiver. Offers accents of freshly grated ginger, tangerine and crunchy sea salt on the finish. Drink now through 2036. 7,442 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSLight butter and vanilla bean aromas lead to vivid, racy lemon curd, lime zest and cream flavors in this well-balanced, medium-bodied wine. The most affordable of the Ramey chardonnays, it still delivers an elegant texture and delicious flavors. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS

Great flavor concentration and a nicely taut structure define this beautifully balanced wine. It is refreshing and rich at the same time, carrying light lemon zest and green-apple skin accents on a delicious base of quince and Gravenstein apples, while gently coated with subtle shades of toasted oak. Best from 2026–2036. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2020 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard was harvested on August 17th before the wildfire smoke arrived, and with its pure, mineral-driven expression, it’s worth cellaring for several years. The nose opens with iodine and nori tones that give way to pretty scents of panna cotta, spring honey and lilac. The medium-bodied palate is buzzing with shimmery acidity that enlivens its perfumed fruit, and it has a long, saline-driven finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPShows juicy apple and pear flavors that are crisp and sleek, with lemon meringue, ginger and tropical hints on an appealingly dense, fleshy frame. Delivering details of toasted herbs and minerality, this is harmonious and expressive on the long finish. Drink now. 359 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Great depth comes with impeccable balance in this beautifully proportioned wine that is silky and bracing at the same time. Bright acidity mingles with ripe Bosc pears, cream and toast flavors that linger nicely on the finish. Collectible and age-worthy, it will only improve with time. Best from 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2020 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard has pretty scents of baked apples, honey, roasted almonds and honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and expansive with a core of savory fruit balanced by bright acidity, and it finishes long and layered.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPFleshy, with honey-drizzled crisp apple, pear and melon flavors, plus spice accents that add warmth to the fruit core. Reveals a hint of graham cracker crust that lingers on the harmonious finish. Drink now through 2029. 765 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS