The 2014 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard has expressive pink grapefruit, warm peaches and brioche notes with hints of praline and ginger. Medium-bodied with great richness and depth in the mouth, it has a lovely creamy texture offset by a wicked backbone of freshness, finishing long with mineral and savory/yeasty layers.

The 2013 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard, under the well-known Sonoma Coast terroir, offers elegant white currant, quince and stony notes with hints of apple blossom, lemon oil and a touch of orange rind. This medium-bodied wine should drink nicely for 3-4 years.

From the coolest site, the 2012 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard (1,260 cases) possesses a Chablis-like personality of quince, white currants, lemon oil and orange blossom notes, a wet stony minerality, medium body and crisp acids. It should drink nicely for 5-6 years, possibly longer.

I was also impressed by the 2011 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard. Cropped at one ton of fruit per acre (Ramey told me the grapes looked like petits pois from France), and from one of the coldest sites in his portfolio, it exhibits lively notes of lemon oil, lime skins, white peaches and a touch of honey. This fresh, medium-bodied, concentrated 2011 should drink well for 4-5 years. David Ramey has long had one of the most impressive resumes for any California winemaker. He worked at Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux and for Christian Moueix at Dominus. He also consulted and worked for a number of high end Napa Valley wineries. Of course, his first love is Ramey Wine Cellars, and he has built an extensive empire of Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons and more recently Syrahs as well as a tiny quantity of Pinot Noir (talk about going to the dark side). I tasted through his 2011 Chardonnays, which are successful in this challenging vintage. The generic Chardonnays spend 12 months in 25% new oak and the single vineyard cuvees spend 20 or more months in 50% new oak. All of the whites are fermented with indigenous yeasts. Ramey has also done a terrific job with Syrah, even though he says it is nearly impossible to sell in today’s marketplace. Ramey has actually reduced the price on his two fabulous 2010 Syrahs, and it is difficult for somebody like me who loves Syrah and knows how great they can be to understand how these wines can be such a challenge in the marketplace. Ramey’s early experience was primarily with Bordeaux varietals, so it’s not surprising that he continues to do a stunning job with his assortment of Bordeaux-based wines. As one might expect, the 2011s are soft, easy-to-drink efforts that many consumers may find more appealing than the 2010s, which are much bigger, richer and more classic. Tel. (707) 473-9167

The 2010 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard stands out in this range. A big, broad-shouldered wine, the Platt is actually reminiscent of a red wine in its structure. Lemon, oyster shells, salt and all sorts of citrus notes are woven throughout in this intense, saline finish. Think of the Platt as a California version of Corton-Charlemagne. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020. Once again, I tasted an amazing range of wines with David Ramey. The Chardonnays capture a beautiful middle ground of ripe, California fruit but treated to a long, Burgundy-inspired elevage that relies on natural yeasts and no filtration, among other choices, to bring out the personality of each of the sites Ramey works with. To me, the Ramey Chardonnays have a Chassagne-like richness that is quite appealing, yet they remain laid back in style by California standards. The Cabernets run the gamut price-wise, but I find a lot to like across the entire range. The Syrahs are in some ways the outliers, because they are made by a winemaker with a very Cabernet-influenced palate. As good as Ramey’s Syrahs are, it is impossible not to notice a house style that emphasizes an overt expression of fruit over what might be termed more varietal character, especially in the regular bottling. As for the reds, the 2011 Cabernets are quite strong for the year. In 2011, Ramey bottled a far greater percentage of his juice into the entry-level Claret than normal, and saved only the best lots for the Cabernets, a decision that has paid off handsomely. The 2010s are just as fabulous as they were last year. At the end of the day, though, that is a relatively small critique for a winemaker who excels in so many ways. In my mind, Ramey is one of the top wineries in the United States. Readers who aren’t familiar with these wines owe it to themselves to check them out. Tel. (707) 433-0870