2010 Ramey Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard
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Showing how well this cuvée ages, the 2010 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is drinking brilliantly and has a medium gold color as well as complex notes of caramelized lemons, honeycomb, brioche, and some beautiful minerality. It’s rich, medium to full-bodied, has a great texture, and is a classic, mature Chardonnay from Ramey that’s going to continue drinking well for at least another 4-5 years, possibly longer.
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Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard features crème caramel, roasted almonds, baked Golden Delicious apples, kiwi tart, dried flowers and exotic perfume on the fully developed nose, with a minerally undercurrent. Medium to full-bodied, rich and sexy in the mouth, it's maintaining a lively core of tropical fruits with all those nutty/honeyed nuances coming through on the very long, lively finish.
(15.3% alcohol; 45% new oak): Bright yellow. Yellow fruits, spices and a floral topnote on the nose. Chewy, savory and classic in the mouth, conveying a strong impression of solidity to the highly complex flavors of peach, flowers, spices, nuts and salty minerality. With its outstanding depth of texture, this comes across as slightly softer than the 2009--even a bit more exotic in its mouthfeel. One still senses the CO2, but then this wine is still short of its peak.
The 2010 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is a bit brighter and more focused than the Hudson. There is a sense of energy and focus in the 2010 that is remarkable. Sweet floral and spiced notes resonate on the finish. Saline overtones add to an impression of briskness and raw energy, especially on the finish. This is another fabulous showing.