Dutton-Goldfield Rued Vineyard Chardonnay 2008
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The 2008 vintage was particularly low yielding due to early season frosts, an unusual occurrence on the Rued hillside. Combined with the warm late season, the sparse crop imparted extra concentration to go with the usual lushness and tropicality of this special vineyard. With the relatively early harvest, the Meyer Lemon and mineral components really come through, along with the defining lychee nut and guava characteristics of the vineyard. In the nose the wine leads with lemon and tangerine, accented by tropical overtones and buttercream/ginger barrel notes. In the mouth, the first impression is of fresh citrus and pear, but with time it is the lush guava and toffee that linger. The bright acidity and cleansing mineral elements carry the long citrus finish. This is a wonderful wine to pair with rich shellfish like lobster or crab, but is also wonderful with fowl dishes or just as an aperitif on the deck with hard cheeses and avocado.
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Wine Enthusiast
This vineyard has proved itself for so many years that it's practically a guarantee of greatness. This 2008 is a real stunner. It's so rich and exotic, so balanced and dry, so clean. Dazzles with pear, pineapple, lychee, roasted hazelnut, creme brulee, buttered toast, honey and spice flavors, wrapped into a creamy smooth mouthfeel. Brilliant and compelling. Drink now.
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Wine &
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Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the mainstays of the Dutton-Goldfield production. Using fruit from carefully chosen vineyards, Dan Goldfield produces wine that reflects the natural tendencies of the area: crisp, well-structured wines that display the complexity, balance and intensity that the partners believe are key to world-class wines.
Dutton-Goldfield Winery's first releases were a Dutton Ranch Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the 1998 vintage. Today Dan and Steve continue to produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Dutton Ranch plantings, numerous vineyard-designated wines, as well as small lots of old vine Zinfandel and hillside Syrah. The Dutton-Goldfield wines are crafted using traditional techniques such as barrel and malolactic fermentation for the Chardonnay, and open top fermentation for the Pinot Noir.
The winery is a partnership of friends, colleagues, neighbors and families. The wines reflect this spectacular part of Northern California where the grapes are grown, the superb quality of fruit from perfectly placed and planted vineyards, and the work of an appreciative winemaker.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.