As I sat across from winemaker Joe Nielsen I was on the other screen not the other side of the table. Such is the life of social distancing, as we shared new release wine and talked about Joe’s winemaking history for our Instagram Live yesterday. Founded in 2011, Ram’s Gate is perched on a hillside where the San Francisco Bay meets the edges of Napa and Sonoma counties.
Joe spent ten years at Donelan Family Wines in Santa Rosa before becoming Director of Winemaking at Ram’s Gate in 2018. He has been very excited with the terroir of their estate vineyard which is a wild swept site that produces very small, concentrated berries.
I loved his new 2019 Ram’s Gate Rose (OB, 90) which is fresh and vibrant with a soft texture. Even better is their 2018 Ram’s Gate ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir (OB, 91) which has a great concentration of tart red fruits that dance with cola undertones. Learn more about this great estate at https://ramsgatewinery.com Here are the great new wines by Ram’s Gate.
2019 Ram’s Gate Rose- This shows melon and white peach with rose water tones on the nose. The palate is fresh with just a kiss of sweetness and a silky texture. Layers of pretty red fruits collide with minerals and suggestions of kiwi and orange zest on the palate. Enjoy this new Rose over the next several years. Drink 2020-2024- 90
2019 Ram’s Gate ‘Estate’ Pinot Blanc- Starfruit and kiwi tones with gooseberry and wild mushroom accents mark the nose. The palate shows good depth and richness with sour melon tones alongside green apple and juicy starfruit flavors. Drink 2020-2024- 89
2019 Ram’s Gate ‘Estate’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2019 Ram’s Gate Sauvignon Blanc shows pink grapefruit blossom and Japanese pear tones with a dusting of baking spices on the nose. The palate is fresh, with a soft texture. Ripe nectarine and Pazazz apple tones combine with minerals and damp earthy tones on the palate. This is excellent stuff that combines freshness with mouthfeel quite well. Drink 2020-2025- 90
2018 Ram’s Gate ‘Estate’ Chardonnay- The 2018 ‘Estate’ Chardonnay shows off good freshness and balance with a light layer of salinity the falls upon bright green apple, mango and brioche tones on the palate. Medium-bodied and full of bright acidity, this beautiful new wine has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2020-2027- 91
2018 Ram’s Gate ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 Ram’s Gate ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir is a vibrant effort that has some cellaring potential. Once on the attack the Pinot Noir shows bright acidity that connects with the core of salted sour red fruits on the palate, with cola undertones and dried herbs. Fresh and well-balanced, with really good length, this beautiful wine will cellar well for another decade. Drink 2020-2028- 91
2017 Ram’s Gate ‘Berler Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Berler Vineyard’ is sourced from this site in the Fountain grove District in Sonoma County. Ripe black raspberry and dried herbs combine with shades of chocolate and tobacco leaf on the nose. The palate has good balance and depth with layers of cassis, sandalwood, mocha and tar tones. This is seriously good stuff that will cellar well for more than a decade. Drink 2020-2032- 91