2013 Syrah Cole Creek Vineyard

As always, my tasting with David Ramey covered a wide range of wines from both Sonoma and Napa counties. The 2014 Chardonnays are a bit more reticent than they usually are at this stage. I am not sure if the wines are going through a closed phase, or if the decision to pick a bit earlier than in the past has resulted in Chardonnays that are a bit shy in the early going. Regardless, in this tasting, the 2014 Chardonnays are a bit muted. The Cabernet and Cabernet-based wines are also quite strong, especially in 2014 a Napa Valley vintage I think will surprise a lot of people down the road. Most of the Syrahs I tasted had not been bottled, while the nascent Pinot program is a work in progress. In my view, those wines will never be as interesting as they could be with the existing fruit sources. Lastly, there will be no more wines from Platt, as Ramey, like all of his colleagues who were in that vineyard, have moved on.

It's hard to know where to start with this lineup, as David Ramey does so many things so well. The 2012 Chardonnays are beautiful, expressive and ready to go. This year sees the addition of a new Chardonnay, from Woolsey Road, a site farmed by Martinelli that replaces the Hudson in the lineup. Ramey also seems to have gotten the best of the 2012 and 2013 vintages with his Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based reds. The 2012s will drink well early, yet have the stuffing to age, while the 2013 are prototypical vins de garde, with all of the dark fruit and structure of this great vintage. Both the Chardonnays and Cabernets reflect a very Francophile sensibility. The Syrahs are a bit different, as they are quite explosive and intense, much like the Cabernets. It's pretty hard to go wrong with anything in this superb range. Best of all, it looks like Ramey's children will soon be joining the family business, which means the future is in good hands.