Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 3–10 years from vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Pan-seared sea scallops, roasted chicken with tarragon butter, creamy lobster risotto
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The Bevan Cellars Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay is a stunning testament to one of the Russian River Valley's most legendary heritage sites. Planted in 1972 by Kent Ritchie on a benchland overlooking the Russian River, this vineyard is celebrated for its ancient, gnarly Wente clone vines rooted in Goldridge sandy loam soils mixed with volcanic ash. Winemaker Russell Bevan coaxes incredible intensity from this fruit, utilizing native yeast fermentation and aging in select French oak barrels. The result is a Chardonnay of dramatic scale and breathtaking complexity, balancing the vineyard's signature vibrant, laser-like acidity with an opulent, multi-layered texture of lemon curd, white peach, and toasted brioche.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 2005 by winemaker Russell Bevan and Victoria De Crescenzo, Bevan Cellars is a highly acclaimed boutique winery based in California's Napa Valley. Renowned for producing some of the most opulent, texturally luxurious, and critically praised wines in the region, the estate sources fruit from premier vineyards across Napa and Sonoma, including Sugarloaf Mountain, Tench, and Ritchie. Russell Bevan’s uncompromising winemaking philosophy emphasizes extreme vineyard selectivity, harvesting at peak physiological ripeness, and minimal intervention in the cellar to craft incredibly concentrated, plush Cabernet Sauvignons, proprietary red blends, and vibrant Chardonnays. This dedication to power and purity has earned the winery multiple perfect 100-point scores, cementing its status as a cult icon of modern California winemaking.