Ericsson

9.3

Been a while since I last opened one these bad boys. Still young but great bottle. Tons of precision. — 4 months ago

George Yasutake

9.5

Not a Chardonnay kind of drinker, but this one is outstanding & drinking well! — 3 years ago

with Brian

Randy Fuller

9.7

This wine is lightly tinted yellow-gold in the glass. Its nose offers sweet stone fruit, tropical notes, citrus and a very faint grassy or herbal sense. The oak shows rather strongly on the palate, with a razor-sharp acidity, and both those elements seem to play off of one another. Pineapple candy comes back on the finish. This is an expensive Sauvignon Blanc, but it has a lot to offer. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The Ritchie is one of the more pleasurable Napa/Sonoma Chardonnay’s I’ve had. The fruit is very good and made by Winemaker-Jean Hoefliger...who has a French background & goes easy on the new oak.

The body is thick and round with nice viscosity. Green apple, lemon, lime candy, overripe pineapple, just a touch of buttered popcorn, caramel, soft wood notes and backbone, butterscotch, delicate chalkiness, limestone & volcanics with yellow lilies, spring flowers and mixed greens. Full round acidity. Beautifully polished, elegant & s well balanced finish that persists nicely.

Photos of; the entrance to AXR’s main tasting room at the rear of the property, their guest house that in the days of prohibition was a Brothel, a sitting area under the Redwoods that overlooks their Estate vines & the AXR house that fronts the property. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark golden in color.

Strong fruity nose with light cedar, vanilla, yellow apples and spices.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with yellow apples, citrus, spices, cedar, earth, vanilla, herbs and white pepper.

Tangy finish with limes and almonds.

This Single Vineyard Chardonnay from Russian River Valley is drinking beautifully now. Nicely balanced and good right out of the bottle.

This 6 year old Chardonnay is complex and engaging. Elegant, fruit forward and rich.

I had this vintage 4 years ago, and it is still delicious. Will continue to drink nicely in the next few years.

Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine.

100% Chardonnay grapes were barrel fermented and aged in French oak barrels for 16 months on the lees. A very small production of only 6 barrels.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 10 months ago

Eric

9.3

Screaming oak. I love it. Mouth watering. Ritchie is one of my favorite Chardonnay vineyards. A heady style. — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.3

WNH virtual tasting with Gary Farrell wines. 2015 Ritchie chard, 2014 Fort Ross Pinot and 2015 Rochioli Pinot were the library choices.

I’m between a 93 and 94 here. This caught me totally by surprise. Flexing an ABV of 13.7, it has so much balanced richness and never comes across as lean. In fact, with the whole cluster usage here, it’s not green/stemmy. Gorgeous translucent purple in the glass with big aromatics of juniper, sage, high toned red and black berries, and cedar. Nimble on the palate with some herbal notes, and a really pretty red/black fruit sweetness (like really ripe rhubarb mixed with blackberries). Has both nice acidity and some tannic bite. I’d argue this was possibly even better in day two. Beautiful wine. — 5 years ago

Scott E. Becker

9.5

[Tasted on September 29, 2023 at Nashville Wine Auction Harvest Party with Ned and Beth]

Purchased wine during September 2022 visit to the winery. Fruit is sourced from Ritchie Vineyard in Russian River Valley. Citrus, apple, chamomile and nutmeg on the nose. Melon, stone fruit, chalky minerality and saline notes on the palate. Creamy and rich mouthfeel with a beautiful finish. — 2 years ago

John Tan

9.0

Ovenbird w M and Ritchie. Mineral. Textured. Fresh. Paired well w ankimo.

The 2012 Condrieu Coteaux du Chery, which comes from one of the most heralded sites in the appellation, is also brilliant (as is his 2011!). The most rich and textured of the lineup, it offers thrilling notes of white peach, crushed rock, buttered grapefruit, flowers and tangerine to go with a medium to full-bodied, layered, yet brilliantly fresh and detailed texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. It too will drink nicely for 4-5 years. I had a fabulous visit with proprietor Andre Perret at his cellar located just north of Chavanay. Soft spoken, charming and generous, he runs an immaculate cellar and releases up to three Condrieus in a vintage. In addition to his whites, he fashions elegant, almost Burgundian-styled reds from Saint Joseph that warrant more attention. RP95 — 3 years ago

web bond

9.1

Great example of non-contemporary, Sonoma County Chardonnay. — 5 years ago