Ritchie Vineyard: California’s Legendary Grand Cru Chardonnay Vineyard
Kent Ritchie is one of North America’s most admired winegrowers, yet his background would never suggest
such a remarkable accomplishment. Kent moved from Detroit, Michigan to California while working for the 3M
Company and decided to plant a vineyard. He learned viticulture on his own and established the Ritchie
Vineyard at 6150 Eastside Road in Forestville in 1972 using Old Wente, See and Rudd selections of Chardonnay
on AXR rootstock.
Kent chose a northwest-facing hillside in the heart of the Russian River Valley, located on a bench at the
intersection of the Russian River, the Santa Rosa Plain and the Laguna de Santa Rosa, each of which
influences the vineyard’s terroir. The site is exposed to the cooling effects of coastal fog that burns off in the
late morning, and benefits from the well-drained sandy Goldridge soil speckled with gravel. The ideal climatic
conditions for Chardonnay include 2796.15 growing degree days, and annual rainfall of 29.9 inches with 5.82
inches during the growing season.
Additional plantings of Wente selection were added in 2004, and today Ritchie Vineyard consists of nearly 70
acres of Chardonnay. The vines are widely spaced at 968 vines per acre and are low yielding with an average
of 2.5 tons per acre.
The feature that stands out with Chardonnay at Ritchie Vineyard is superb intensity of fruit flavors in
combination with scintillating tension and vibrancy.
Melissa Apter Castro, the winemaker for Metzker Family Estates who crafts a Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay,
told me the following about this treasured vineyard and its owner. “There is a reason Ritchie Vineyard is known
as a legendary site for Russian River Valley Chardonnay. Not only is the quality of the grapes fantastic, but the
passion and personal touch Kent Ritchie gives to each block is wildly apparent the second you turn off of
Eastside Road onto the gravel road of Ritchie Vineyard. His hand-painted wooden signs dictate people to
“Drive Slow,” and notify visitors who are contracted to each block. This personal touch makes you feel like you
are truly part of something meaningful and not just a number stepping in line to buy a product and leave. I
believe everyone who purchases fruit from Ritchie Vineyard feels like they are at a home away from home
every time they visit. During vineyard walks with Kent, he is jovial, observant and humble. After over forty years
of owning and managing this site, he still has a twinkle in his eyes when meeting with clients and waling the
rows.” I met Kent at a Sonoma County charity auction a few years ago, and agree with Melissa’s description of
his engaging personality.
Castro went on to say the following. “The 40+-year-old Wente clone vines retain so much natural minerality and
acidity that the wines are fresh and vibrant when aged in higher percentages of new French oak. The
Chardonnay I make for Metzker Family Estates is a wine I like to call Old World meets New World Chardonnay.
With the 60%-70% new French oak (depending on the vintage), I get notes of brioche, toast and hazelnut you
often find in a true California, full malolactic fermented Chardonnay. But the finish on this wine is so reminiscent
of a Chablis or Italian white with clean minerality, bright acidity and citrus notes. The wine does not fall short or
leave a heavy presence in your mouth. I find that the Ritchie Chardonnay appeals to both the Chardonnay only
fans as well as the consumers who claim they do not drink Chardonnay. I have seen plenty of people become
Chardonnay fans after drinking a Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay.”
Many of California’s greatest Chardonnay producers have sourced grapes from Ritchie Vineyard: Ancient Oak
Cellars, Arista, Aubert, Bevan Cellars, Bjornstad Cellars, Boich Family Cellars, Chateau Boswell, Croix, De
Loach, Domaine Della, DuMOL, Flanagan Wines, Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery, Hertelendy, Joseph Swan, Kobler
Estate Winery, La Follette, MacRostie, Metzker Family Estates, Montagu, Patz & Hall, Paul Hobbs, Ramey,
Red Car Wine Co, Ten Acre and Woodenhead.
Here are some Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnays recently reviewed. NOTE: I think you will have a much better
handle on the aromas and flavors of Chardonnay if the wines are tasted or drunk at about 63ºF, similar to the
temperature that I prefer to taste or drink Pinot Noir.
2016 Bevan Cellars Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay
14.6% alc., $65.
·
Moderately dark
golden yellow with a light apricot hue in the glass. Aromas of ash, tobacco and white pepper with no fruit
showing up over time. Viscous in the mouth with a richness of ripe flavors including lemon curd, pineapple, ripe
apricot, and tropical fruits. Clearly, the fruit was left hanging a long time. Oak-driven flavors of toast and smoke
intrude. Somewhat heavy in the mouth, lacking vibrancy, and slightly hot on the finish. No vineyard typicality in
this version.
Score: 87
2016 Chateau Boswell Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay
14.3% alc., 225
cases, $95. Susan Boswell proprietor and Philippe Melka winemaker.
·
Moderately light golden
yellow color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with aromas of lemon zest, apricot, white flower blossom
and brioche. Very seductive in the mouth, with a sleek but not viscous mouthfeel, offering flavors of
lemon, pineapple, pear and mango with complimentary oak highlights chiming in. Beautifully
balanced, with a delightful evanescent finish. A true reflection of the vineyard terroir.
Score: 95
2016 Gary Farrell Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay
13.9% alc., pH 3.24, TA 0.66, 95 cases, $65.
Harvest Brix 22.0º-23.0º. Harvested in cool morning hours,
gently whole cluster pressed, allowed to settled at chilled
temperature for 24 hours before inoculating with
Montrachet yeast. Fermented and aged in French oak
barrels, both light and medium toast barrels and 500-L
puncheons (Francois Frères, DAMY, Dargaud & Jaegle and Cavin),
35% new for 9 months. Racked off primary lees once before bottling.
·
Moderate golden yellow color in the glass. Leading off are lovely
aromas of delicate flint, lemon custard and lime. Somewhat lean, yet
flavorful, offering tastes of lemon-lime, grapefruit, white peach and
caramel. Oily on the palate, with plenty of righteous acidity keeping the
wine lively and edgy through the clean and quenching finish.
Score: 94
2016 Montagu Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay
15.2% alc., 101 cases, $60.
·
Moderate
golden yellow color in the glass. Aromas of lemon zest, buttered toast, warm biscuit and ashtray. Rich, creamy
and toasty in the mouth, offering flavors of ripe peach, grilled pineapple, caramel and char. Oak overrides the
core of very ripe fruit flavors, the wine lacks acid verve, and there is the slightest sense of alcohol on the finish.
Score: 87
2014 Ramey Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay
14.5% alc., 1,250 cases, $65. Old Wente
selection planted in 1972. Harvest Brix 23.5º. Native yeast and full malolactic fermentation in barrel, with lees
stirring. Aged 19 months in Francois Frères French oak barrels, 30% new. Fined but not filtered.
·
Moderately
light golden yellow color in the glass. Enticing aromas of lemon oil, kiwi, green apple, slate and the slightest
matchstick. Seductively oily, with fresh flavors of citrus, apple and coconut. Inviting harmony, with the right bit of
toasty oak, and some finishing persistence. This wine walks the line between fruit richness and wholesome
acidity.
Score: 93
Past Reviews of Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay
2016 Domaine Della Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay April, 2018 94
2015 MacRostie Kent Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay January, 2018 95
2015 Ancient Oak Cellars Reserve Series Kent Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay
February, 2017 92
2015 Domaine Della Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay December, 2016 94
2014 Bevan Cellars Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay April, 2016 88
2013 Red Car Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay November, 2015 94
