Ramey 'Ritchie Vineyards' Chardonnay 2006

Wine Spectator 95
"Deliciously complex, full-bodied and layered with flavors, offering citrus and tropical fruit, with hints of anise and
buttery oak, yet the acidity keeps the flavors tangy and vibrant. Drink now through 2012." ~J.L.

"Located in gently rolling terrain north of Carneros Highway, the soils are quite heavy clay. Vine selection is Old Wente and Long Vineyards, and the vines range from five to twenty-two years old. The Wente is marked by very small grape clusters, with small berries, and the so-called "hen-and-chick"--large and small berries within the same cluster. The Wente produces a classic, Burgundian-style wine, without strong tropical fruit tones of some California Chardonnays, along with some minerality and spice. The Long Vineyards selection adds a floral note, and the Hyde Vineyard wines often seem charming and feminine"