2018 Ramey Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 750 ml

Winemaker David Ramey returned from his stint at Château Pétrus with a vision, and it led to some of Sonoma’s greatest Chardonnays. His next vision: sophisticated, savory Pinot Noir. With his Russian River Valley bottlings, he’s applied that talent to a premier Pinot region—and the results are sensational.

After all, this is a man who Decanter called “one of California’s best and most respected winemakers” and Wine Spectator lauded as having a “master’s touch.” While his legendary Chardonnay program began with single-vineyard designates, he flipped the script with Pinot Noir, aiming to capture the essence of the broader Russian River appellation.

Sonoma’s 2018 vintage took its time unfolding, as a cool spring gave way to a long, steady summer that let growers harvest the incredible Pinot Noir at their leisure. Ramey himself told Spectator it was “just beautiful, from start to finish,” and Wine Advocate gave it their highest-ever vintage score for North Coast Pinot Noir.

In that magnificent growing season, Ramey tapped some of the region’s classic vineyards: Grapes from De La Montanya imbue this wine with red fruit and vivacious acidity, and ones from Bucher—a regular in Williams Selyem’s vineyard-designate lineup—form its structural spine. Smaller portions from Goff Vineyard (a Dutton Ranch property) and Kilcullen Vineyard add further nuance.

After 13 months in 39% new French oak barrels, this wine shows all the polish and complexity you’d expect from “one of the top wineries in the United States,” as Antonio Galloni called Ramey. Pair it with anything from grilled cod to roasted chicken and mushroom risotto, or let it evolve in the cellar for another decade. Either way, you’re getting a marvelous Pinot from Russian River royalty.