The Dream Team

David Ramey

Educator

Since 1996, David Ramey has been at the helm of Ramey Wine Cellars pioneering traditional, artisan winemaking techniques in California during a period when making wine by the University book was the norm. His efforts have helped shape the way many wines in the United States are made today, including the elimination of skin contact for most white grapes; the use of oxidized juice in making white wine; sur lie aging of white wines in barrel; whole cluster pressing of white grapes; malolactic fermentation of Chardonnay; native yeast fermentations; harvesting fully mature fruit; eliminating acidification of red wines; and bottling without filtration.
In addition to managing Ramey Wine Cellars, David enjoys consulting for a select handful of clients. Ron Rubin Winery is thankful to be amongst the select few. His expertise has helped provide further education to the DREAM TEAM!
David earned a graduate degree from the University of California at Davis, where his 1979 thesis on volatile ester hydrolysis (translation: how aromas evolve in wine) is still used today to understand how wine ages. But shortly afterwards, a stint working for the Moueix family at the renowned Château Pétrus introduced David to the time-honored methods of winemaking in France. He brought his lessons home and applied them to the grapes he found growing in California’s premier wine regions.
The resulting wines are praised among colleagues, consumers and the media alike. Most importantly, they are the wines David dreams of brought to graceful, delicious life. Ron Rubin Winery shares David’s passion honoring the traditions of premium wine, while always reaching for something new.