2016 Dutton-Goldfield Chardonnay Walker - Hill Vineyard Green Valley of Russian River Valley 750 ml

When it comes to Chardonnay, Forbes wrote "there are those who bring glory to the grape, who remind us why we loved it in the first place,” before going on to say they “place winemaker Dan Goldfield of Dutton-Goldfield in the glory-making category.”

In the hands of an expert winemaker like Dan, the ideal conditions of the 2016 vintage resulted in wines endowed with energy, freshness, and delineation. Today’s golden Walker Hill Chardonnay from Sonoma’s Russian River Valley epitomizes the season, and captures the essence of the foggy, picturesque subzone of Green Valley to the tune of 94 points. 

These incredible grapes have inspired chart-topping wineries like Kistler, DuMOL, Patz & Hall, and Lewis, which all make single-vineyard wines from the eponymous Dutton Ranch. Considering that recent vintages of Kistler’s Dutton Ranch designates go for well over $120, it’s rare to find Chardonnay of Walker Hill’s quality for its $50 SRP—let alone at our discounted price.

Normally, Dutton-Goldfield’s estate Chardonnay bottlings are winery-only releases available exclusively to their tightly controlled mailing list. But after a decade of showcasing their wines, Wine Access members are Dutton Goldfield members, so when the abundant (and extraordinary) 2016 vintage left Goldfield with a few extra cases of Chardonnay, we struck a deal in classic Wine Access fashion. 

From Green Valley, a sub-AVA of the Russian River Valley, Walker Hill grapes are prized for their citrus backbone, tropical aromas, and mineral overtones. Planted to the Old Wente clone in the early 1980s, the thick-skinned, tiny berries produce concentrated wines that appeal to California Chardonnay purists. Dan Goldfield deepens the vineyard’s lively bright fruit with 100% barrel-fermentation, aging the wine for ten months in two types of French oak: Seguin Moreau barrels which add ginger spice and a rich mouthfeel; and Fouquet barriques which give the wine its lift on the palate. 

Vibrant and golden, the mélange of sweet cream and candied lemon aromas lead into exotic kumquat zest and mango. An expansive palate impresses with what Wine Enthusiast called “an expert level of intensity and concentration." The lemon curd, raw cashew, and honeysuckle flavors are accented with a faint and welcome kiss of caramel on the lingering finish. A perfectly rounded, ripe example of Russian River Chardonnay, the vein of zippy acidity keeps it elegant, while keeping you coming back for another sip. 

For lovers of the world’s white wines—novices and seasoned collectors alike—Dutton-Goldfield is a must-know label whose bottles deserve to be well-stocked in the cellar and opened often.