Ram's Gate Winery

If you’ve ever driven to Napa or Sonoma, odds are you’ve passed Ram’s Gate Winery. It’s right on 121 after you make the turn off 37. You know, right after the race track. Like most of the other wineries along this route, I’ve long thought they catered more to the tourist crowd, but I’d recently heard some good things about their new winemaker, Joe Neilson.

The tasting room is definitely designed for crowds with multiple rooms with tables, cozy tasting spaces, and bars. I would highly encourage a reservation; on a random Sunday in October, first thing in the morning, this place was already packed.

We went with one each of the two tastings they offer: the Gateway ($40pp) and the Vineyard Designate ($65pp). Note: all our favorites came from the Vineyard Designate Menu. They were:

• the 2018 Pinot Blanc, Ram’s Gate Estate Vineyard: This reminded me of a New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blanc but without the salt. Finished in neutral oak, the fruity notes of melon are rounded out for a lovely crisp sipping wine perfect for a summer’s day.

• the 2016 Pinot Noir, Silver Eagle Vineyard: A lovely, balanced pinot from the Russian River Valley, this Pinot had notes of pepper, cinnamon, and thyme. It reminded me of Thanksgiving.

• the 2016 Vent de Colline, Ram’s Gate Estate Vineyard: The name translates from French to ‘windy hill.’ It needs a name because it’s 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache. Surprisingly, no Mourvedre for a classic Rhone-style red. This reminded me of a peppery peanut butter and jelly sandwich. For the formal tasting notes, I’d say dates, chocolate, figs, and cherries with a floral nose. I think this would pair great with lamb or braised meat.

• The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (with 10% Malbec) from the Moon Mountain District, didn’t get a star but it did have lovely structure. My initial reaction was fish sauce. There was also a lot of cherry cola and green bell pepper, making me think it may show well in five years or so.

I would love to come back here and take advantage of their Seasonal Pairing Experience—a 5-course prix-fixe menu reminiscent of our time in the Barossa Valley—but with their “no dietary restrictions” caveat, that’s out for me and all my celiac brethren. The menu looked great and it would be a delightful way to try the wines, enjoy the view, and fit in lunch.