Tasting Notes

Graceful is the word we find popping up most when trying to capture the 2017 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay into words. When we first pour it into the glass, the aromas waft out readily. Memories of fall are at the center, with baked apples, crusty pie dough, and oak aromas like cardamom, clove, and vanilla. With fresh notes of golden plum and a refreshing camphor element, this wine is many-layered. The mouth is all roundness and richness but with a robust guiding line of fresh pear as well as those spicy notes found in the nose. This wine, as always, is clean and refreshing in the mouth, leading gracefully to an elegant long finish.

Vintage Notes

The memory of the recent drought, an odd spring hailstorm, and a smattering of 100F+ days had yielded to a welcome string of cooler more moderate days which allowed our Dutton Ranch Chardonnay to slow down during the all-important post-version ripening. A thick marine layer lasting through mid-morning - sweet relief with the rewards reflected in the glass. After all, pacing flavor development and the retention of acid is the name of the game, especially for our style of balanced, complex Chardonnay.

Vineyard and Production Notes

Red Mare's Chardonnay, chosen by design, comes from Dutton Ranch's Mills Stations Vineyard, one of Dutton Ranch’s cooler sites. The soil is a thick deposit of the coveted Goldridge series, known for producing deliciously complex Chardonnay. It is the combination of the "Old Block" planted to an unknown clone in the '70s along with a touch of the modern - Dijon Clone 76. This results in the beautiful juxtaposition of the bright, forward fruit and textured, mineral notes. We whole-clusters press, and gently cold settle, after which the juice goes directly to the barrel. It ferments in 100% Burgundian oak barrels, with about 18% new. Malolactic stops somewhere around 30 - 60%.