2017 DuMol Chardonnay Wester Reach Russian River Valley 750 ml

Only one thing in the world could make a sip of DuMOL’s golden-hued, naturally rich, balanced, and vibrant Chardonnay any more exhilarating.

Three years of anticipation.

Three years. That’s how long we’ve been working on an allocation of this Russian River benchmark’s stellar Chardonnay, from the Russian River winery that Wine Spectator has lauded as having “mastered” every grape they work with. 

Crafted by Littorai veteran Andy Smith, DuMOL’s 2017 Wester Reach Chardonnay shines: Sourced from some of the most storied sites in Russian River Valley, it boasts the trademark palate of ripe pear and apple tarte tatin, a creamy and generous mouthfeel, all invigorated by mouthwatering acidity, minerality, and an intriguing saline streak. A perfect blend of Russian River richness and verve, this is the very best of California—a world-class Chardonnay well worth waiting for.

We know our biggest Chardonnay fans have been right there with us—urging us (emphatically, we might add) all these years to score an allocation from DuMOL’s western Sonoma County outpost. As for the Wine Access members who have yet to taste the glory of DuMOL, prepare a place in your California Chardonnay pantheon.

Since their founding in 1996, DuMOL has risen to the very top of the Russian River Valley hierarchy, and they’ve done it with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Cabernet. And while DuMOL’s versatility has impressed both critics and wine lovers, their Burgundy varieties have made the biggest waves. No surprise, considering that longtime winemaker Andy Smith, in addition to working with 100-point legend Paul Hobbs, became a seasoned veteran of Russian River under Chardonnay master Ted Lemon of Littorai. That experience is on display in the 2017 Wester Reach Chardonnay, which takes advantage of the diverse range of sites and soil types of the region to make a Chardonnay that stands with the very best of the Russian River.

Half of the Chardonnay in the 2017 Wester Reach hails from Russian River’s famed Dutton Ranch: The steep, windy slopes of the Hansen Hill Vineyard and the deep-rooted, high elevation vines of Jentoft (both farmed by DuMOL since 2007) deliver Chardonnay of gorgeous intensity and freshness. A quarter comes from DuMOL’s O’Connell Estate Vineyard, which supplies small yields of ultra-concentrated fruit from its perch on an east-facing plateau ten miles from the Pacific, while the balance comes from old Chardonnay vines at the world-famous sites Charles Heintz and Lorenzo Vineyards.

This range of plantings from varied soils, densities, and elevations is a picture-perfect snapshot of California’s most acclaimed Chardonnay region, in a low-yielding vintage that bestowed the kind of concentration that can only come from nature. Smith ushered the wine along with a twelve-month barrel fermentation, allowing it to rest twelve months in 30% new French oak, and imbuing it with gorgeous brioche, buttercream, coconut, and clove notes. It’s the kind of elegant, rich Chardonnay that has made the Russian River famous.

Our first allocation of DuMOL’s stellar Chardonnay has been years in the making. We’re already celebrating, and can’t wait for you to join in with your first bottle.