White Wines

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The 2020 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard comes from vines planted in the 1970s. It was matured for 12 months in 35% new French oak and finished with six months in stainless steel. This shows the impressive concentration and generosity that could have defined the style of the 2020 vintage before the wildfires hit. Youthful tones of crème brûlée and toast give way to citrus blossoms, lemongrass and apricot on the nose. The medium-bodied palate pairs generous, honeyed fruit and a luxurious, mouth-coating texture with laser-like acidity that compels you to take another sip, and although the Arista wines generally age well, there’s no reason to wait for this—drink it over the next 3-5+ years. 650 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPLeans into tropical notes of pineapple and mango, with fresh citrus accents, an elegant, soft body and fresh acidity that gains momentum on the long, expressive finish, where a touch of toasted green tea and honeyed, toasted sesame lingers. Drink now. 650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The nose of the 2020 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is layered with fresh and citrus tones, with lime blossom, white flowers, and lemon pith. The mouthfeel is stony and has more tension while still having a classic viscous feel.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDExquisite, with a generous, fleshy core of ripe peach and apricot flavors, which mingle effortlessly with salted butter notes of fresh pastry, lemon blossom and clipped herbs. The frame is silky and smooth, with fresh acidity weaving in and out, keeping the flavors fresh and focused. Drink now through 2030. 1,636 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2020 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille comes across as quite tight and mineral, with hints of pencil shavings and toasted almond accenting pineapple and lime. Medium to full-bodied, with ample richness and generosity, it finishes long and lean, with a mouthwatering edge to the citrus flavors.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPVery floral and foresty on the nose, with bark, green pine needle, lemon curd and dried apple. Perfumed. Medium-bodied, dense center-palate. Flinty and spicy. Some blanched almond. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

This is very unique in character, with sliced apple, honeysuckle and lavender. Spearmint, too. It’s medium-bodied with some pine and cooked-apple character in the palate. Flavorful, yet sophisticated and thoughtful. Minerally, compact and focused. 31-year-old vines. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JSPacks precise flavors of ripe peach, apricot and salted preserved lemon, with lime accents and a savory thread of minerality. Offers a vibrant mouthful of acidity that keeps the flavors in focus, while a hint of dried lemon verbena peeks in on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 1,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

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