2006 Chardonnay Ritchie

Light yellow-gold. Highly perfumed aromas of lemon pith, green apple, wet stone and honeysuckle, with subtle oak spice adding depth. Weighty orchard fruit flavors are given bite by citrus zest and pith qualities, with a gentle leesy character emerging on the back end. Offers a striking combination of power and finesse, and finishes impressively precise, with excellent spicy persistence.

More lemon oil, hazelnut, and smoke are present in the 2006 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard. Full-bodied, fresh, and lively, it is an outstanding effort. These three single vineyard efforts are very successful Chardonnays for this vintage. While not at the quality level of the 2005s, 2004s, and perhaps the 2007s, they are noteworthy successes in this challenging year. David Ramey’s Healdsburg operation is becoming bigger and bigger, as evidenced by his 60,000-case production in both 2006 and 2007. However, quality continues to be exciting, offering a broad array of Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons, and more recently, a handful of Syrahs. The entry level Chardonnays include three generic appellations, Carneros, Russian River, and Sonoma Coast. All three need to be consumed sooner rather than later. The three single vineyard Chardonnays are all from top sites, the Hudson and Hyde vineyards in Carneros, and the Russian River’s Ritchie Vineyard. Production is much smaller for these cuvees, from just under 1,400 cases for the Hudson to over 2,500 cases for the Hyde. Tel. (707) 433-0870; Fax (707) 433-0871