2017 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.” They go on to say they “place winemaker Dan Goldfield of Dutton-Goldfield in the glory-making category.”

That glory truly shines in Dutton-Goldfield’s 2017 Walker Hill Vineyard Chardonnay. It’s born of truly outstanding grapes that have inspired chart-topping wineries like Kistler, DuMOL, Patz & Hall, and Lewis, which all make single-vineyard wines from the eponymous Dutton Ranch. 

Normally, Dutton-Goldfield’s estate Chardonnay bottlings are winery-only releases available to their tightly controlled mailing list. But after a decade of showcasing their wines, many Wine Access members are Dutton-Goldfield members. So when the extraordinary 2017 vintage left Goldfield with a few cases of Chardonnay remaining, 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. The vineyard was planted to the Old Wente clone in the early 1980s, and the tiny, thick-skinned berries produce concentrated wines that appeal to California Chardonnay purists. Dan Goldfield deepens the vineyard’s bright and lively fruit with 100% barrel fermentation, aging the wine for 18 months in two types of French oak: Seguin Moreau barrels, which add ginger spice and a rich mouthfeel, and Taransaud barrels to imbue it with subtle toffee flavor. 

For lovers of the world’s white wines—novices and seasoned collectors alike—Dutton-Goldfield is a must-know label, and this is a must-have bottle.