Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Neatly matched elements of Meyer lemons, ripe apples, crème caramel and toast are teamed in the rich, well-composed aromas and iterated again in the deep and very complete flavors of this wonderfully expressive Chardonnay. The wine is at once slightly viscous, fairly mouthfilling and very energetic, and, while never impressing as a powerhouse, its potent but polished flavors last and last. It will make ideal drinking with salmon in sauce, and it has more than enough weight and richness to complement pan-roasted duck breasts.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
DuMol produces five separate Chardonnays, with their generic cuvée, the 2013 Chardonnay Russian River basically a blend of some terrific terroirs including their own estate vineyard as well as three highly regarded single vineyards for Chardonnay – Heintz, Lorenzo and Ritchie. The clonal material here is Clone 4, Mt. Eden and Wente. The wine displays beautiful honeysuckle and notes of orange blossom in a fruit-forward, medium to full-bodied style. It was aged 11 months in oak and then moved to tank for 3-4 months prior to bottling. This beautiful Chardonnay should drink nicely for 5-7 years.
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 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.