Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Chardonnay DuMOL Estate comes from vines planted in sandy soils and is a mix of Hyde Wente and Mount Eden clones. It offers rock star notes of tart peach, citrus, and salty mineral and earthy notes in a focused, chiseled, crisp style. With terrific concentration and an almost red wine-like level of structure, it’s not for near-term drinking and needs a good 3-4 years of bottle age.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay Estate Vineyard was barrel fermented and aged 12 months on the lees in 33% new oak. It has a singular nose of dashi, saline, crushed shell and lime peel touches with white peaches, dried flowers, iodine and cut hay. Medium-bodied, it absolutely explodes in the mouth with layers of ripe fruits, savory notions, citrus, flowers and a tangy mineral streak, with laser-like acidity and a very long, evolving and energetic finish. An incredible, unique wine. 740 cases produced.
Respect for the land
DuMOL is a “vineyard up” winery with a fully integrated approach to winegrowing and winemaking. DuMOL planted its high-density estate vineyards and has farmed many of California’s most renowned vineyards for more than two decades.
Commitment to craft
DuMOL sticks to what works and is focused on the fundamentals, finding inspiration in master, visionary producers around the world as DuMOL continually hones its craft—never imitating, ever refining.
Connected on a personal level
This is a project that comes from who the DuMOL team is and what they love. A deep connection is paramount: to the land, the wines, and the customers.
Heritage and experience
Founded in 1996, DuMOL is a latter-day pioneer in the Russian River Valley. Winemaker, Viticulturist and Partner, Andy Smith, farmed the region for nearly a decade before joining in 1999, and Associate Winemakers Julie Cooper and Jenna Davis, and Cellar Master Jaime Eufracio, have over 40 years combined experience at DuMOL.
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 vast appellation covering Sonoma County’s Pacific coastline, the Sonoma Coast AVA runs all the way from the Mendocino County border, south to the San Pablo Bay. The region can actually be divided into two sections—the actual coastal vineyards, marked by marine soils, cool temperatures and saline ocean breezes—and the warmer, drier vineyards further inland, which are still heavily influenced by the Pacific but not quite with same intensity.
Contained within the appellation are the much smaller Fort Ross-Seaview and Petaluma Gap AVAs.
The Sonoma Coast is highly regarded for elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and, increasingly, cool-climate Syrah. The wines have high acidity, moderate alcohol, firm tannin, and balanced ripeness.