Winemaking

Much like a musician puts care in developing an album or a chef prepares a multi-course meal, the act of winemaking is not just one thing at Ram’s Gate Winery. It’s active involvement in the care and stewardship of the vineyards. It's letting our natural curiosity and dedication to creating the best expression of each wine drive our vision in the cellar.

“I believe our portfolio of wines should play like a musical album, each wine builds on a narrative of vintage and varietal that is captivating from start to finish without duplication. ” GM and Winemaker, Joe Nielsen

Approach

Beginning with understanding the soil of each site, closely followed by the growing conditions of each vine, holistic steps guide us down the path of understanding that winemaking begins in the vineyard not the cellar. We take great care to be present throughout each growing season. Becoming intimately aware of the unique characteristics of each vineyard block, helps to define each vintage and make educated decisions throughout the process. 

With this, we believe we are producing wines that are complex, inimitable and delicious.

Details

Capturing a complete picture of what a given vineyard can accomplish is the ultimate goal of our winemaking team. From harvest through bottling, fruit is handled with care and intention, often nurtured individually to see how a specific site develops in the cellar overtime. To preserve the integrity of the site from which it is sourced, each vineyard's personality is married together with a select set of barrels including specific coopers, forests and toasts.

Wielding a variety of practices, our intent remains true to course; showcase the right balance of acid, tannin, richness and body, without pulling to much in any one direction. Crafting wines that not only commemorate a moment but transcends time itself.    

Estate vines

Perched upon a hill, our organically farmed estate vineyard is uniquely positioned between three AVAs - Sonoma Valley on the south side, Sonoma Coast on the east and Carneros on the west. The spice rack derived from the five varieties planted on our 28-acres influences our Estate Collection wines.

In addition to the estate vineyard, we source from some famed vineyards such as Gap's Crown Vineyard and Hyde Vineyard, but also cherish the small, family owned vineyards that showcase the depth and complexity of Sonoma County's terroir.

Meet the Vineyards

OUR COMMITMENT

Sustainability

Sustainability is a difficult word to define, particularly in a place so land-focused as Sonoma Wine Country. To sustain something is to keep it going — in ecological terms, it means working with our resources in a way that cares for our environment. It means honoring the place that grows our precious vines. It means caring about the fellow living things depending on the Ram’s Gate Estate for life.

CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING

Ram’s Gate Winery is honored to be a Certified Sustainable Vineyard since July of 2015. Administered by the Wine Institute and California Association of Winegrape Growers, this certification strives to advance the entire California wine industry toward best practices in environmental stewardship, conservation of natural resources and socially equitable business practices.

CERTIFIED FISH FRIENDLY FARMING

Fish Friendly Farming® is a process of certification for agricultural properties managed in a way that restores fish and wildlife habitat and improves water quality. This is especially paramount based on our location, so close to the San Pablo Bay and with our own Tolay Creek bordering the property.