2012 Syrah (Sonoma Coast)

Two thousand twelve marks the debut of David Ramey's first pinot noir, which came about because, as Ramey put it, "the fruit was incredible and everybody thought that I did a pinot anyway, so why not?" We discussed vintage generalizations and he mused on the fact that in the Old World such variable years are celebrated, while in California people tend to use a broader brush. "Just because something isn't great doesn't mean it's bad," he said, "but that's lost on a lot of people." The 2011 vintage is a prime example, he pointed out. "Are there a lot of not-so-good or just plain bad wines? Sure. Is everything bad? No way." Such vintages are the ones where experience, hard work, sacrifice and great vineyards really pay off ("you may only be able to make a little wine but make it good"), he commented, "and that's what people should focus on."

David Ramey doesn't get anywhere near the attention he deserves. Today, it seems the focus is on extremes as the wine world is increasingly about a polarization of so-called 'very ripe' wines versus the more 'restrained' style. Ramey's wines are neither, but rather bring together the best of both schools of thought. The Chardonnays combine distinctly Californian expressions of site with Burgundian concepts of aging where the wines spend a full 18 months in barrel, something that is rarely seen in this country. The results speak for themselves. These are among the very best Chardonnays being made in California. The Syrahs and Cabernets present super-rich textures backed up by tons of structure. As for the reds, well, they are terrific. Not surprisingly, the 2010s have shut down a bit post-bottling. The 2011s, from a very difficult vintage in which Ramey lost a full 50% of his crop, are among the wines of that vintage. The 2012s show plenty of promise in the racy, sexy style of the year. Best of all, prices remain exceedingly fair by California standards.