Ramey Wine Dinner at Cafe Maxx

"Woke up this morning with a wine glass in my hand,
whose wine? what wine? where the hell did I dine!"

Do You Feel Like I Do by Peter Frampton

We still have a few seats available for the 1961 Bordeaux tasting tomorrow night and we will be taking down 8 top level Bordeaux from one of the greatest vintages of the last century!! This may be your only chance to taste: 1961 Latour a Pomerol, Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau La Mission Haut Brion, Chateau Haut Brion, Chateau Cos D’Estournel, Chateau Belaire and Chateau Lynch Bages on the table at once! 

I always say there are two kind of “Wine Drinking People” out there, those that like dirt and that is what you get from 50+ year old wines, their terroir really outshines the fruit.  Those of you that like dirt are “dirty” and then there are those that like current release wines which display fruit and we dub these wine drinking people “Fruity”.  For our “Wine Drinking People” that like younger wines we have one of the top wineries in California Ramey Winery at Café Maxx tomorrow night.  Two events in one night!!

David Ramey is one of the most sought after consultants in California today, in addition to having his hands in a dozen or more wines with other people’s names on the bottle, his wines are among the best wines produced in their category every year.  After several decades of making wine in California David knows where the top vineyard sites are in Napa and Sonoma are and through his relationships with growers has been able to secure some of the best grapes to put his label on.

Join us as we sample some of the new releases from Ramey winery with the director of sales and marketing George Staikos.  Chef Oliver Saucy has put together a special five course tasting menu to accompany the tasting wines.  The fee for this dinner is $95+ tax + gratuity, for reservations call 954-782-0606.

Ramey Dinner at Cafe Maxx
with Special Guest George Staikos
Friday, January 27th
7pm

Pass Arounds
Mini St. Andre cheese philo purses
Crispy fried calamari and sweet chili mango sauce
Pineapple tuna tartare on croissant

2013 Ramey Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Price: $43.25       Sale $38.06          Case $442

"...Honey, apricot pit, mint, butter and dried flowers blossom are some of the signatures. This is a real overachiever in its class." 91 pts - Antonio Galloni, vinous, February 2016

2013 summed up to be a perfect vintage with clear sunny days and cool evenings.  This produced a long, moderate growing season with extended hang time and even ripening, resulting in a full range of flavors while retaining natural acidity. 

First course
Local Wahoo sashimi, papaya & ginger, Napa cabbage and cucumber

2012 Ramey Platt Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
Price: $69.75       Sale $61.38          Case $712

...offering sublime Meyer lemon, pear and golden honey around a balanced soul and wild ginger-infused intensity. Editors’ Choice." 95 pts - Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast, April 2015

 The 2012 growing season was close to ideal with temperate and steady temperatures that produced a long, moderate growing season with extended hang time and even ripening.  In the cool reaches of the Sonoma Coast, harvest waited until the beginning to middle two weeks of October.

Second course
Jumbo lump crab & spiny lobster cake, lemon-mango beurre blanc

2012 Ramey Ritchie Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Price: $69.75       Sale $61.38          Case $712

"Hints of tropical fruit develop in the glass, adding to the wine's sense of exoticism as the flavors build to a finish imbued with a Chassagne-like oiliness and sense of viscosity." 94+pts - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2015

The 2012 growing season was close to ideal with temperate and steady temperatures that produced a long, moderate growing season with extended hang time and even ripening.  There were no significant heat spikes or rains.

(94 points) The 2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is the most opulent and also the most nuanced of these wines. Almonds, matchstick, hazelnuts, tangerine peel, savory herbs and mint are all super-expressive in the glass. Hints of tropical fruit develop in the glass, adding to the wine's sense of exoticism as the flavors build to a finish imbued with a Chassagne-like oiliness and sense of viscosity. ...The 2012 Chardonnays are beautiful, expressive and ready to go. (AG) (1/2015) Vinous

Third course
Lavender & pepper scented veal Bolognese and spaetzle, plum tomato
Manchego cheese with basil and a touch of cream

2013 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $62.00       Sale $54.56          Case $633

(92 Points) "Another delicious wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is a terrific example of the year. Creamy and beautifully layered on the palate, the 2013 captures all of the pedigree of this great vintage in a style that offers a bit more immediacy than many other wines. Best of all, the Cabernet Sauvignon is a remarkable value. Bright red stone fruit, mint, white flowers and tobacco add nuance on the silky yet powerful finish. " Vinous / Antonio Galloni

Fourth course
Wagyu beef short rib, gorgonzola polenta, berry braising demi glace
Roasted parsnip, pearl onion and carrots

2014 Ramey Claret Napa
Price: $44.00    Your Price: $38.72
Quantity in Stock: 30

Vintage Notes:  "...It instantly opens with aromas of dark plums and cherries along with tobacco, spices, dried sage and mineral notes all taking shape in the glass. This medium to full-bodied red offers a lovely seamless, round texture with wonderful balance and focus through the finish..." 90pts - Joe D'Angelo, International Wine Report, July 2016
2014 was another classic vintage. A mild winter and spring caused an early bud break followed by consistent temperatures throughout the summer, promoting even ripening.
This vintage’s blend sourcing is:  32% Napa Valley, 31% St. Helena, 11% Oakville, 9% Oak Knoll, 4% Napa-Carneros, 4% Mt. Veeder, 4% Yountville, 3% Sonoma Valley, 1% Rutherford, and 1% Calistoga.
Winemaking:  This year's blend is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 3% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.
Our Claret follows the Bordelaise model of blending different Bordeaux varietals. Malolactic fermentation is completed in barrel, and the blend is assembled early so it is “elevated” as the finished wine. Our 2014 Claret rested on its lees twelve months in French & American oak barrels, only 7% new, with monthly bâtonnage to coat the tannins, producing a luscious, cushioned mouthfeel.  This wine was lightly fined with egg whites and bottled without filtration in January 2016.
Winemaker Notes:  This soft, easy-drinking Cabernet is a good introduction to the vintage, and while it will improve over the course of three to eight years, it is not a wine intended for long-term cellaring.

Ramey Syrah Rodgers Creek 2013
Price: $73.50       Sale $64.68          Case $750

(95 Points) "Ramey's 2013 Syrah Rodgers Creek Vineyard is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Here the flavors and textures are finely sketched, with gorgeous vibrancy, tension and energy. Graphite, pencil shavings, smoke, blackberry jam and lavender notes add complexity on the chiseled finish. Vinous / Antonio Galloni 

Dessert
Chocolate and dried cherry truffle tart

The fee for this dinner is $95+ tax + gratuity, for reservations call 954-782-0606.

A bit about Ramey Winery:

A select group of winemakers can be credited with revolutionizing modern day winemaking in California. They are the innovators who, some 20 years ago, brought Old World traditions back to a New World that had thrown in its lot with university scientists to make squeaky clean wines largely devoid of character. The goal of these new wave winemakers was to put terroir back into the bottle and create wines of unique distinction.

David Ramey is widely acknowledged to be among the wine pioneers whose efforts helped raise the bar for all American winemakers and brought California to the forefront of the international wine world. David’s groundbreaking work with indigenous yeasts and malolactic and barrel fermentation yielded a new California style that was richer, more lush and silky smooth than previously known. As a result, he created a benchmark style now emulated by many.

At first, David followed a traditional path and received a graduate degree from the University of California at Davis, where his 1979 thesis on volatile ester hydrolysis (translation: how flavors evolve in wine) is still used today to unveil certain vinous mysteries. But shortly afterwards, a stint working for the Moueix family at the renowned Chateau Pétrus introduced David to the time-honored methods of winemaking in France. He brought his lessons home and applied them to the grapes he found growing in California’s premier wine regions.

David Ramey started his career in wine with little more than a degree in enology and a dream. Then, after nearly two decades of creating benchmark wines for such California wineries as Matanzas Creek, Chalk Hill, Dominus and Rudd, David Ramey and his wife Carla founded Ramey Wine Cellars in 1996. “Owning one’s own winery is the dream of every winemaker,” David says, looking back on the path that led him to build his own. It took time, planning and a profound understanding of how best to bring together all the elements—from the grapes, to the winery materials, and a top-notch team of professionals—to make it all work.

Ramey Wine Cellars is located off the town square in the quaint Sonoma County town of Healdsburg. It is a sleek, efficient, no-frills work space dedicated exclusively to making the highest quality wines possible. “In our own winery, we’re not distracted, as I had been, by the ongoing and changing needs of an employer,” David notes. “At Ramey Wine Cellars, we try to foster a team environment where everybody feels empowered to contribute and make a difference in both winery operations and the wine itself. My hope is to create an atmosphere of great opportunity for all.”

The winery produces authentic, hand-crafted wines made in an Old World tradition--coupled with New World innovation and California terroir. Owned exclusively by David and his wife Carla, grapes are sourced from vineyards with which David has worked for many years.  Their next project will be to purchase land and develop their own vineyards.

Ramey Wine Cellars, which David owns with his wife, Carla, was founded in 1996. Currently, David continues to “swing for the fences,” as he likes to say. To make great wines, he takes chances, harvesting his grapes at the last possible moment and using methods in the cellar that his former college professors consider risky at best. The resulting wines are praised among colleagues, consumers and the media alike. David serves on the board of Family Winemakers of California and the executive board of Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-employed.  He lives with his family in Glen Ellen, not far from the Ramey Wine Cellars winery in Healdsburg.

Everything from Ramey that we have in the store.

Ramey Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard 2005
Price: $65.00    Sale $57.20            Case $663
Quantity in Stock: 2

If you like vintage California Chardonnay this wine is in perfect condition and proves that Ramey Chardonnay can age for 10+ years!!

Ramey Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2013
Price: $43.75       Sale $38.50          Case $447

(90 Points) "The 2013 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast) is a gorgeous introduction to the vintage at Ramey. Lemon curd, white flowers, mint and lightly honeyed notes open up in an expressive, beautifully textured Chardonnay to drink now and over the next decade. Martinelli's Charles Ranch and Platt are the main fruit sources." Vinous / Antonio Galloni

Ramey Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard Russian River Valley 2013
Price: $69.75       Sale $61.38          Case $712

(94 points) The 2013 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is one of the most expressive and complete wines in David Ramey's range. Apricot, peach, smoke, crushed rocks and dried herbs all blossom in the glass. The Woolsey captures a gorgeous stylistic middle ground that balances richness with nuance. The 2013 finishes with great texture that points to a brilliant future. Woolsey Road was planted by the Martinelli family for David Ramey from clonal material taken from Platt. It's hard to know where to begin with these wines from David Ramey, as there are so many highlights, but one common theme is the quality of the entry-level wines. The appellation-level Chardonnays, Pinot, Syrah and Claret all deliver serious quality for the money. As always, the Chardonnays are made in a rich, Burgundian-leaning style that emphasizes relatively long aging in barrel by California standards. The reds all capture a highly attractive stylistic middle ground that offers plenty of New World, California fruit wedded to an Old World sense of structure. (AG) (1/2016) Vinous

Ramey Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard 2013
Price: $69.75       Sale $61.38          Case $712

(95 Points) "The 2013 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is one of the richest, most powerful Chardonnays in the range. Here it is the wine's phenolic and sense of vertical structure that stand out most. Even with all of its obvious richness and heft, the Hyde preserves remarkable freshness. Dried herbs, orange peel and buttery notes add nuance on the large-scaled, ample finish." Vinous / Antonio Galloni

Ramey Pinot Noir Russian River 2014
Price: $54.00       Sale $47.52          Case $551

(90 Points) "The 2014 Pinot Noir (Russian River) is an attractive, mid-weight wine, especially within the context of the Russian River, where the wines can be much more exuberant. Bright red cherry, game and spice notes open up in this very pretty, delineated Pinot from David Ramey. There is plenty to look forward to. Vineyard sites are: Westside Farms, Bucher and Keller.  Vinous / Antonio Galloni

Ramey Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard 2014
Price: $84.00       Sale $73.92          Case $857
"Crushed flowers, sweet red cherries, licorice, mint and dried herbs are some of the signatures in the 2014 Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard…" – Antonio Galloni, vinous, February 2016

2014 was another classic vintage. A mild winter and spring caused an early bud break followed by consistent temperatures throughout the summer, promoting even ripening. We had ample hang time which in turn yielded intense varietal character and a rich texture.
As is traditional in Burgundy, we use an anaerobic approach to preserving the freshness and fruit characteristics of our Pinot Noir. It was aged sur lies with monthly bâtonnage and spent thirteen months in 30% new French barrels (François Frères) and previously used Chardonnay barrels. Lightly fined with egg whites, this Platt Vineyard Pinot was bottled unfiltered in January, 2016.
One of our coolest sites, Platt Vineyard yeilds are low due to typically poor weather at bloom coupled with incredibly small berries and clusters.  The combination produces a Pinot of uncommon density and structure.  This wine will benefit from a few years in your cellar.

Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Annum Diamond Mountain 2012
Price: $108.00    Sale $95.04          Case $1102

Vintage Notes

"(This wine) boasts an opaque purple color as well as copious aromas of licorice, smoked meats, camphor, graphite and oodles of crème de cassis and coffee beans. Full-bodied with sweet tannin and a dramatic, ostentatious personality, it should drink well for 15-20 years. "96pts – Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, December 2014

2012 turned out to be a perfect vintage with clear sunny days and cool evenings.  This produced a long, moderate growing season with extended hang time and even ripening, resulting in optimum tannin maturity and a deep range of flavors.  The vintage ended with a textbook harvest starting on September 1st and ending exactly two months later on Halloween.

The Annum blend this year is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc.

Aging the 2012 sur lies with monthly bâtonnage has coated the tannins and smoothly integrated the wood.  We aged this vintage 24 months in completely new French barrels (Taransaud and Demptos).  Non-filtered.

The seventh vintage of this blend–it represents our version of a “winemaker’s wine.” Annum is the one red wine we make each year that allows us to select from a range of prestigious vineyards to make the best blend possible that vintage.

Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Napa 2012
Price: $215.25    Sale $189.42       Case $2196

(97 points) “As usual, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard is a great wine (a 650-case blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot). This sexy, full-throttle, opaque purple-colored 2012 boasts fabulous concentration along with copious notes of pen ink, blueberries, blackberries, and hints of graphite and espresso bean. Deep, full-bodied and multidimensional, this sensational Cabernet should drink well for 20-25 years. When I was tasting with David Ramey, he opened a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard, which I also rated 96. A truly great offering, it was just coming into drinkability at the age of 10. I think the 2012 will ultimately be better and last even longer than the 2004. 97+ (RP)” (12/2014) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate