Ramey 2005 Hudson Chardonnay etc

A Triangle Wine Experience dinner at Bloomsbury Bistro paired 4 excellent Ramey wines with 5 courses--very nicely matched. The 2007 Russian River chard started off the evening and it was a good 90 point chard with butter and tropical fruit. The Hyde Vineyard Chard. was much better, very Burgundian and reminiscent of Puligny Montrachet. Can age but wonderful full, complex, long finish toasted oak and stone fruit with gout de terroir. As good as California chardonnay gets tho my memory of Ramey's Ritchie might be even a touch better. (I spoke to Ramey tonight at another tasting, at CH Wine Co, and compared Hyde and 2005 Hudson, which I had tonight, saying that Hudson was more Meursault and Hyde Puligny; he agreed tho said maybe Hudson is more Chassagne Montrachet; in any case Hyde more feminine, Hudson more masculine {and clearly needs more age in bottle}.). Also tasted the 2006 Claret, 2006 Cab, and 2006 Shanel Syrah. All fine, 91-92 points; Syrah perhaps the best. Tonight also had the Cab Vinum ($70) 96% cab with a tiny touch of the other bordeaux varietals. Best of the cabs from him I tasted but I'd have to say Ramey is a chardonnay man and there's no better in CA imho.

Here's Tanzer 93 pts Hudson 2005:

Green-tinged gold. Ripe orange, pear and honeydew on the nose, with iodine and anise adding complexity. Deep and creamy, offering concentrated orchard and pit fruit flavors and bracing minerality. Becomes spicier on the long, vibrant finish. This is strikingly pure and persistent.

Chardonnay Hyde 2006 93 pts

Yellow-gold. Powerful aromas of orange peel, pear, truffle and floral honey, with slow-building minerality adding verve. Deep, spicy, impressively pure orchard fruit and citrus flavors pick up a bitter quinine quality on the back end. Brighter and more vivacious than the Hudson today, with excellent finishing clarity and mineral snap.

Vinum 2006 93 pts:

ncludes 2% petit verdot and 1% each of cabernet franc and malbec) Inky ruby color. Pungent aromas of blackcurrant, cherry preserves, licorice and smoky Indian spices. Really exotic in the mouth, offering mineral-driven dark berry and bitter cherry flavors, with dusty tannins adding grip. The spice and mineral notes build with air and extend through the long, sappy, gently sweet finish. There's a strong suggestion of Pauillac showing today, and I don't think this would be out of place in a flight of high-end Bordeaux of similar age.

Cab 2006 92 pts

Dense ruby-red color. Ripe and smoky, offering powerful raspberry and cherry scents, along with tobacco and roasted coffee. Surprisingly vibrant in the mouth, with zesty red- and blackcurrant flavors, velvety texture and good mineral snap. Finishes clean and brisk, with excellent lift and cut.