Chardonnay 2019
The memory of tasting this 2019 Ram’s Gate Chardonnay is sure to linger, especially if the experience is at the winery’s beautiful facility in Sonoma. Grapes are from esteemed Hyde Vineyard in Napa – dedicated to pursuing a goal of excellence with “wines that break barriers and open new frontiers.”
The 2019 Chardonnay ($70) is elegant on the nose with terrific concentration and depth on the palate, say the folks at Ram’s Gate. The difference with the 2019 “dynamic vintage” is the increased Musqué (Indicating both perfumed and Muscat-like) percentage in the final blend allowing the intense aromatics to shine through.
This is an exceptional Chardonnay – chock full of spices and citrus fruit with tantalizing aromas of vanilla, butter and hazelnut – finishing with “distinct minerality.” It gained 94 points from Wine Enthusiast.
Ram’s Gate offers a variety of different tastings. There is a seated wine tasting; a Seasonal Wine and Food Experience; Wine and Bites; Luxury Picnic; or Sip and Savor at the Pond. So add a little pizzazz to your visit by pairing wines with delicious food. A regular seated wine tasting of one hour is $60 per person – applied toward any purchase at the end of your tasting.
Ram’s Gate Winery, 28700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-721-8700. RamsGateWinery.com
Fonda Felix
Chef Diego Felix of Fonda Felix contacted me recently about an upcoming collaboration of dinners with Soif Wine Bar for each Saturday in October. The Oct.7 dinner will feature wines by local winemaker Terah Bajjalieh of Terah Wine Co. Bajjalieh, a native Californian, immersed herself in the winemaking business not that long ago. Well-armed with a master’s degree in enology and viticulture – she is also a certified sommelier. You can buy her wines online. More info at fondafelix.com and terahwineco.com
