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2018 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Russian River Valley
Vineyard Designation
Ritchie Vineyard
Harvest Date
Sept. 10th, 2018
Acid
6.0
pH
3.4
Aging
for 11 months in French oak barrels from Atelier Centre France cooperage with 66% new barrels
Alcohol %
13.2
In Stock
71 CASES
$61.20 - MEMBER | $68.00 - RETAIL
Flavor profile: slate, apricot, fresh peach, lemon panna cotta note on the finish
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Russian River Valley
Vineyard Designation
Ritchie Vineyard
Harvest Date
Sept. 10th, 2018
Acid
6.0
pH
3.4
Aging
for 11 months in French oak barrels from Atelier Centre France cooperage with 66% new barrels
Alcohol %
13.2
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
The 2018 Ritchie Chardonnay has a very expressive nose of jasmine, slate, and orange blossom. The palate is dominated by stone fruits like apricot and fresh peach and has a nice lemon panna cotta note. The oak is nicely integrated and the minerality provides a lovely lift.
Ritchie has the broadest fruit profile of all our Chardonnays and benefits most from aging in a higher percentage of new and once used barrels. We believe in letting each site express itself and that means that each of our wines has a unique barrel program and a wine chemistry that reflects that particular site in a given vintage.
This is terrific wine from one of Sonoma County’s top sites for Chardonnay and will age beautifully for years.
Vineyard Notes
The 2018 crop was huge. Cluster counts were normal but as the season progressed the berries just kept sizing up. Yields for many varieties were 30% above average. Some cooler sites struggled to ripen the massive crop but at Ritchie Vineyard crop yields were well managed and the fruit was excellent.
Ritchie Vineyard sits in the corner of Wohler Road and Eastside Road and is quite close to the Russian River. The vineyard sits on an old volcanic cinder cone and has soils that are very fine ash. The relatively warm site produces a richer fruit profile and the volcanic soils provide a compelling minerality distinctive to the site. The cool nights ensure a bright acid profile that is a great underpinning to the wine.
