Fall Release DuMOL Estate Vineyard Chardonnay
2021

Winemaker’s Notes

This is our twelfth Estate Chardonnay bottling from our small 2-acre Kearney parcel, and it’s now clear that with vine maturity, this singular bottling has evolved from a wine fueled by fruit into one expressive of place - of terroir. Classic wines of place should convey the same character each vintage. Yes, there will be variations in the depth of fruit, level of concentration, amount of acidity, etc. but these are transitory vintage-determined distinctions. The essential core character of the wine – its soul if you will - will clearly identify this place each year and cannot be replicated elsewhere. And so, our 2021 bottling is a carbon copy of both 2018 and 2020 in build, length and texture. One of the highlights in this greatest of vintages. The place has become the story. 

Classic aromas of aniseed, sage and spearmint mix with green apple and lime fruits. White flower notes appear as the wine airs. The palate is deeply intense – so typical for this wine - with flavors akin to citrus oil, apricot and lemongrass. There’s volume and viscosity that resonates throughout the wine – deep, expansive and chewy. Fine chalky mineral acidity offsets this richness lifting and extending the wine’s long snappy clean finish. Drink between late-2023 and 2032. Decant for an hour in its youth and serve no cooler than 53F. 

Andy Smith Viticulturist, Winemaker & Partner