2016 Ramey, Westside Farms Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, California, USA

Intense, impressive, well-integrated nose. Very complete – great current drinking with real energy and fruit-acid balance. There’s a certain savour to this which reminds me of white burgundy. Impressively long.

Drink 2020 - 2028

208 cases produced.

The 2016 Chardonnay Westside Farms Vineyard comes from Ramey's 75-acre ranch, with vines planted in 1990. The wine fermented in barrel with bâtonnage and was aged in 20% new French oak for 20 months. The nose is softly scented of lemon cream, acacia blossom, wet stone, pastry crust and honey-roasted nuts. Medium to full-bodied with citrusy flavours segueing into savoury layers, it has bright mineral sparks, juicy acidity and a long, textured finish.

Drink 2019 - 2025

A warm, consistent summer delivered finely balanced wines in this vintage. The nose is bright and lifted, perky and charming. The silky attack is vivid and displays lift and vigour, and the oak, discernible on the nose, is well integrated. The structure is lean and precise despite the opulence of fruit, and the finish is poised and seductive, with excellent length.

Drink 2022 - 2028

Ramey's 2016 Chardonnay Westside Farms Vineyard is punchy and vibrant in the glass. Bright acids give notable tension and energy that perks up the citrus and white floral character. I would give the 2016 another year or so in bottle, as it is a bit tightly wound today. This refined, complex Russian River Chardonnay is long on class and personality. 

The 2016 Chardonnays are a highlight in this set of new releases from David Ramey. As always, Ramey also presented a few older vintages, which show just how well the wines can age. Ramey picks a bit earlier these days, which gives his wines an extra kick of freshness that works beautifully to complement the intensity of the flavors he coaxes from a number of top sites

Drink 2021 - 2028

From the estate property in the Russian River Valley and vines planted in 1990 and 1996, the 2016 Chardonnay Westside Farms Vineyard offers a beautiful, ripe, sexy, yet still classic style to go with awesome notes of orchard fruits, white flowers, and subtle background oak. With bright acidity, notable purity of fruit, and terrific balance, it’s one of the standouts in the lineup. Drink it over the coming decade.

Drink 2019 - 2029