The 2007 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard’s light gold color is followed by sumptuous aromas of buttered citrus, a distinctive spicy apple note, quince, hazelnut, and subtle oak. The wine is rich and full-bodied with admirable purity and length. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years. A multi-tasker, David Ramey’s Healdsburg operation garnered lavish reviews for his Cabernet Sauvignons in issue #186. He also demonstrates a Midas touch with Chardonnay, while continuing to fine tune his Syrah portfolio. In addition, Ramey’s consulting business appears to be growing by leaps and bounds, and he has been a major factor in turning around the quality of a number of wineries. The 2007 Ramey Chardonnays are all strong efforts, including the three generic offerings from the Sonoma Coast, Russian River, and Carneros, and his single vineyard efforts from the Hudson, Hyde, and Ritchie vineyards. The 2008 barrel samples I saw were slightly more down-sized than the 2007s, which is not unexpected. These potentially outstanding wines were displaying fewer differences in style than I might expect. Tel. (707) 433-0870; Fax (707) 433-0871