Ramey Cellars Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2011

David Ramey, the winemaker for Ramey Chardonnay is one of the preeminent Chardonnay producers in California. Lots of great blind wine tasters mistake this one for French white Burgundy in his blind tasting of the wine, while at the same time finding a sumptuousness to the fruit that’s more California. That sums it up about this wine–California decadence, Burgundian depth and expression. You’ll get a lot of exotic tropical fruit but with the zing of acidity–fresh golden pineapple comes to mind. What’s great about these wines is that they get better with age if you have the discipline to cellar them.  Ten years adds alluring notes of toffee and marzipan. Gorgeous.