Ramey Platt Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2013
I mentioned a while back in a "Wine Tasting Tell All" that I had been to a wine tasting that featured wines from Ramey Wine Cellars that I had found a most luxurious and wonderful Chardonnay from the lineup that was part of the tasting. There is more information on that post as well as to the Ramey story.
As a wine geek, and as for my own cellars a wine snob, I am always on the lookout for that next great wine. It's even better when the wine is more moderately priced. Unfortunately for this weeks wine, the price point, while not crazy high, was still a little steep. On the positive side, wines of this quality are now approaching that $100 price point, something that this wine still had a ways to go. At the tasting, the wine was being sold at $63 a bottle. As I said, not cheap but very reasonable given current circumstances.
Let's back off from the whole price thing for now. Besides, price is relative, just as quality and our perception of how good the wine tastes to each of us.
How was my perception of the wine? I have had a number of high-end Chardonnays in my wine career. Those that I have favored usually have one main attribute, great balance. This was just such a wine.
From the moment I lifted the glass and swirled the contents, the aromas that lifted from the glass were a hodgepodge of citrus and stone fruit with just a slight bit of minerality. On the palate, the wine had a touch more oak than the straight Sonoma Cost that was tried just before but also gave it a much more rounded feel to the wine. As I said, balance is the key and this wine was all of that. Finishing with a long lingering finish, it was hard to put down. I will admit that they had poured for more people than attended so, and I did ask first, I did pick up another glass of this wonderful elixir to sort of "seal the deal" as it were.
It didn't hurt that the wine received 96 Points from Robert Parker as well as 93+ Points from Vinous Media. I gave it at least 95 Points as well.
Availability may be a little tough as the wine is well into the 2014 vintage. Good news is that Wine Advocate still rated that wine with 95 Points. It's also possible that the price has not yet increased too much. Look for it at around $70 or so. So glad I went to the tasting and was reacquainted with Ramey Wine Cellars.
Cheers