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"Deep ruby-purple, the 2018 Claret is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Syrah and 2% Petit Verdot. It features blackcurrant aromas with accents of peppercorn, bacon, cedar, thyme and lavender. Full-bodied, its powerful, concentrated fruits are supported by finely grained tannins, and it has a long, still youthfully coiled finish. It will continue to unfold for several more years in bottle. 2,432 cases produced."
The Wine
Varietal Composition: 55% ... read more
"Deep ruby-purple, the 2018 Claret is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Syrah and 2% Petit Verdot. It features blackcurrant aromas with accents of peppercorn, bacon, cedar, thyme and lavender. Full-bodied, its powerful, concentrated fruits are supported by finely grained tannins, and it has a long, still youthfully coiled finish. It will continue to unfold for several more years in bottle. 2,432 cases produced."
The Wine
Varietal Composition: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 9% Syrah, and 10% Cabernet Franc
Our Claret follows the Bordelaise model of blending different Bordeaux varietals. Malolactic fermentation is completed in barrel, and the blend is assembled early so it is “elevated” as the finished wine.
Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Claret rested on its lees twelve months in French & American oak barrels, only 24% new, with monthly bâtonnage to coat the tannins, producing a luscious, cushioned mouthfeel. This wine was lightly fined with egg whites and bottled without filtration in February 2020.
Vintage Notes
2018 began with a very wet winter. The summer was mild until a significant heatwave around Labor Day sent growers scrambling to pick the first wave of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. After the heat wave, temperatures were warm and steady, allowing winemakers to make picking decisions based on optimal fruit maturity rather than impending weather. Yields were average to light.
Harvest Dates: September 5 – October 10
David Ramey is widely acknowledged to be among the wine pioneers whose efforts helped raise the bar for all American winemakers and brought California to the forefront of the international wine world. David's groundbreaking work with indigenous yeasts and malolactic and barrel fermentation yielded a new California style that was richer, more lush and silky smooth than previously known. As a result, he created a benchmark style now emulated by many.
David Ramey is certainly one of the best known and most highly regarded winemakers in California. David has finally realized his dream of producing wines under his own name and has devoted himself exclusively to this pursuit.
"A multi-tasker, David Ramey's Healdsburg operation garnered lavish reviews for his Cabernet Sauvignons in issue #186. He also demonstrates a Midas touch with Chardonnay, while continuing to fine tune his Syrah portfolio. In addition, Ramey's consulting business appears to be growing by leaps and bounds, and he has been a major factor in turning around the quality of a number of wineries. The 2007 Ramey Chardonnays are all strong efforts, including the three generic offerings from the Sonoma Coast, Russian River, and Carneros, and his single vineyard efforts from the Hudson, Hyde, and Ritchie vineyards." – Robert Parker, February 2010

- 2018 — 750mL (wine) (currently viewing)
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