David Ramey interview
With an early career influenced by some of the most respected names in the world of French wine, this classically minded innovator went on to become one of the key figures in wine in California. Elin McCoy meets the Ramey Cellars founder…
‘Okay, we’re an American success story,’ David Ramey admits with a satisfied smile as I look at the line-up of 27 bottles on a table at Ramey Cellars in Healdsburg. Most are current releases. ‘Our winery is like a chef-owned restaurant,’ he explains. The wines are signature dishes; he’s ‘the chef of the cellar’.
At 6’ 1”, white-haired and casually dressed, Ramey could easily be mistaken for a laid-back Western rancher – but he is one of California’s most accomplished winemakers, known especially for his lush-textured Chardonnays.
