Ramey Chardonnay Westside Farms Vineyard 2022 750ml

The 2022 Chardonnay Westside Farms is a bright yellow/straw color, while the nose takes on more depth and a layered feel in its notes of beeswax, poached apples, elegant baking spice, wet river rock, and fresh flowers. The palate is packed with energy, and while it’s full-bodied, it has fantastic drive and a core of bright, tightly wound, laser-focused acidity driving the long, balanced finish. It will take another year or more to unwind and will improve over the coming decade. Drink 2026-2040.

• Country: United States
• Region: California
• Appellation: Sonoma Valley
• Sub Appellation: Russian River Valley
• Size: 750ml
• Color: White

Varietal

Chardonnay

Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.