Ramey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
- wa93
- jd92
- v91
Category | Red Wine |
Varietals | |
Region | California, Napa Valley |
Brand | Ramey |
Alcohol/vol | 14.5% |
Made of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot, this Ramey offering has always had an exceptional quality/value ratio. The fruit for this wine was labeled as Ramey Larkmead Vineyard in the past, but at a much higher pricepoint. The Larkmead vineyard is located in the northern part of Napa valley and has been a wine producing vineyard since the 1880's. David Ramey is one of the best known and most highly regarded winemakers in California. Before founding Ramey Wine Cellars in 1996, he made wine for a bevy of top wineries, including Chalk Hill, Matanzas Creek, Rudd Estate and Christian Moueix's Dominus Estate. Ramey is widely acknowledged to be among the wine pioneers whose efforts helped raise the bar for all American winemakers by going back to more Old World traditions of winemaking. He learned much about these practices during a stint working for the Moueix family at the renowned Chateau Pétrus where David was introduced to the time-honored methods of winemaking in France after graduating from UC Davis. David's groundbreaking work with indigenous yeasts, malolactic and barrel fermentation yielded a new California style that was richer, more lush and silky smooth than previously known, as well as more expressive of terroir.
The geology and soils of Napa Valley are notoriously complex and are primarily comprised of broken down or decomposed rock that has been carried downhill from the eastern Vaca range and the western Mayacamas range into the base of the valley, where they ultimately intermingle with the silt, clay and gravel deposits of the Napa River flood plain.
Wine Advocate
- wa93
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep ruby, it has an incredible nose of licorice, dried flowers and mint chocolate over black berries and black cherries, cedar shavings and pencil lead, plus spicy clove and star anise touches. Medium to full-bodied, it floods the mouth with plush flavor layers wrapped in chocolate-textured, pixelated tannins and great freshness to counter, finishing long and luscious. 7,177 cases produced.
Jeb Dunnuck
- jd92
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a hot, sunny vintage yet has a pure, classy character. Notes of crème de cassis, tobacco, leafy herbs, and spring flowers are just some of the aromatics and it's medium-bodied, elegant, and incredibly polished on the palate. It's another wine from Ramey that's nicely balanced, with terrific purity and loads of class.
Vinous
- v91
David Ramey's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is racy and inviting, with all of its natural exuberance on display. Another year in bottle has really helped the 2015 come together. Pretty red fruit and floral notes add a kick of brightness to balance the natural exuberance of the growing season.
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