Winemaker Notes
A perfect Chardonnay on its own, or one with the broad shoulders to pair with cream sauces, cheeses or spicy cuisine.
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch has bright aromas of poached pears, apricot, panna cotta, oystershell and well-integrated spice from its 17-month maturation in 29% new French oak. The full-bodied palate has a silky texture and pure, concentrated stone fruit flavors. It’s balanced by bright, refreshing acidity and has a long, elegant finish.
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Wine Spectator
Opens with a floral thread of honeysuckle and orange blossoms, plus a touch of wildflower honey. The flavors are big, generous and bold, including apple pastry, fresh nectarine and ripe, salted melon. Fresh acidity keeps the flavors lively and in focus.
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.