I get to taste most of the DuMOL releases at some point or another but have been lax in sharing notes that might prove useful. I was especially impressed with the Chardonnays and would consider them the best I’ve ever had from DuMOL and I’d think they probably deserve inclusion in inner-circle producer lists.
2021 Wester Reach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
Opens with a bouquet of lemon blossom, golden apple, stone and very careful oak trimming. It’s a medium weight wine with almost painfully exacting balance of fruit, oak and structure. The finish is quite long with slate, sweet cream and trim, crispy toast. Much more compact and composed than I get from normal RRV Chardonnay, I don’t think I would have guessed CA, much less RRV here. Tastes like a $100 wine to me.
2021 “Isobel” Chardonnay, Charles Heintz Vineyard, Sonoma Coast
A restrained, less open nose than the WR - with an aerial profile. Mostly what I get is lime leaf and light floral aromatics. On the palate, this has a unique texture first and foremost. It’s oily, slippery, silky, and it clearly contains plenty of juicy acidity but it’s very integrated so all you feel is the ride of the wine. Flavorwise, the lime is replicated here, with lime meringue, stone, sweetened grain/leesiness…it’s a classy wine. The finish is not yet there but I don’t doubt it will develop with the raw materials found here.
2021 “Chloe” Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
Aromas are more direct, showing off yellow peach and red apple scents. The palate showcases a cinnamon-tinged apple pie character with glimmers of orange blossom. This is a bit riper than the WR and finishes with red apple and dried mushroom. The oak signature is really understated here and considerably quieter than I would have expected. Altogether a classic, vivid RRV Chardonnay with the DuMOL refinement. Pretty open and ready to drink.
2022 Wester Reach Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
A very pretty wine focusing on precisely ripened red fruits. Delivers cherry aromas and flavors without dipping too much into black fruit shades and not touching sour cherry or orange, either. Very careful stuff. Again on the nose, black cherry, cream, sandalwood. There’s plenty of acidity here, but to be honest I’d love even more as the fruit is so attractive, I’d like it to be a bit more succulent so the flavors could really stain the palate. It’s a stylistic choice as my taste tends towards more frank wines and this is really tailored. The finish is a display of nice barrel tones with baking spices and a hint of curry.
2021 Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
I really like this bouquet - cherry juice and orange oil. Short of some of the incense notes, I’d have guess higher-end CdN producer. There’s a big difference here texturally. The wine has tension and concentration yet the core of it is very airy. The flavors here are darker-toned than the WR, more small-berry vibes and for lack of a better description, really just pure black cherry Pinot fruit. It’s very direct about that and it feels like that purity was the aim. Medium bodied and very delicate both on the palate and throughout the finish. Lists at 14.1% but I would have guessed lower than that.
2021 Ryan Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
This gets closer to the typical RRV expression of Pinot. The cherry flavors have a light bent toward more pie sweetness, the oak is a bit flashier, showing off more barrel spices and there’s a hint of cola or amaro-like caramelization in the aromas. The palate has deeper, heftier fruit and feels more muscular and lightly grippy.