Ramey Cellars Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2022

David Ramey worked at Dominus and Rudd before launching his own label, and he makes Chardonnay that refuses to pick a side between California and Burgundy. There is richness here — ripe pear, yellow apple, a subtle touch of crème brûlée — but it is cut with vivid acidity and a long, mineral-driven finish that has touches of salinity, chalk, and flint. This is Sonoma Coast, not Napa. The fog influence and coastal proximity give the wine a freshness that inland Chardonnay cannot match. It is medium-bodied when most California Chardonnay is full-bodied. It finishes savory when most finish sweet. Scored 94 points. $50. This is the bottle I pour for someone who tells me they do not like California Chardonnay. They always ask for a second glass.