Hertelendy Vineyards’ founder and winemaker Ralph Hertelendy briefly summarizes the 2018 Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay out of the Russian River Valley in a nutshell. One missed detail is the fact that the label changes color at the optimal serving temperature (50°F), so when the lions change color, you’re ready to rock n roll.
With only 296 cases produced and barrel aged 17 months in 90% New French Oak, our 2017 Russian River Valley Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay may just be the best Chardonnay produced to date. Being the third Chardonnay vintage that Phillip Corallo-Titus worked on with Ralph, there’s more acidity and balance than in previous vintages.
Robert Parker’s Erin Brooks described this vintage as having a “softly, savory character” and a “long, juicy finish” while Jeb Dunnuck mentions that this wine reminds him of an old Meursault: “it’s full-bodied, ripe, and opulent, yet has good acidity.” This is a delicious wine that showcases more sophistication than previous vintages while carrying the typical elegant style you’ve grown to love. Similar to previous vintages, it is barrel fermented using native yeast with 100% malolactic fermentation and batonnage sur lees. It is also unfined and unfiltered, but the difference is that in this vintage, Phillip introduced that modern Napa style into this process highlighting a brighter acidity and different style of complexity. Medium plus to full-bodied, it offers a dichotomy between tropical minerality and creamy mouthfeel with plenty of crème brûlée on the finish.
Rich and oak-driven, this impressive, over-the-top wine is aged in 90% new French and Hungarian oak. Buttery crème brulee and tropical pineapple, guava and an opulent texture give it a complex intensity that persists in baking spice and vanilla on the palate. — Wine Enthusiast, 94 Points
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