Hertelendy, Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay, 2017

92 POINTS and fruit from California's most legendary Chardonnay vineyard? We had to move fast on this one. HERTELENDY RITCHIE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2017 landed in our laps via a quiet tip-off, and we didn't hang about. Ritchie Vineyard is the Russian River Valley site that makes winemakers go weak at the knees, and getting an allocation is like finding a parking spot in Central London on a Saturday. ​ Kent Ritchie planted these vines back in 1972 on a foggy, northwest-facing hillside in Forestville, using heritage Wente clones and sandy Goldridge soil. The result? A vineyard Wine Enthusiast considers Grand Cru-caliber. Ralph Hertelendy, a man on a mission to revive the glorious, unapologetically bold California Chardonnays of the 1990s, spent 17 months ageing this in 90% new French oak. It's full-bodied, buttery, and utterly uncompromising. ​ Think golden honeycomb, warm brioche straight from the oven, and waves of creamy crème brûlée with tropical guava and a toasted oak backbone that goes on for days. Lush, buttery, and properly indulgent. ​ This is Chardonnay with absolutely nothing to prove and everything to give. You saw the 92 points, right? TREAT YOURSELF TO THIS!!!