Winemaker Notes
The nose brims with expansive aromas of white lily, apricot, stone fruits and lemon zest underscored by elements of flint, oyster shell and spearmint. The palate delivers a long, subtle arc of flavor and great viscosity. It is initially taut and vibrant with lime juice, lemongrass and citrus oil before opening to richer, deeper fruits, fig and peach, and layers of texture. The finish washes long with bright, clean acidity and a linger of ginger, honey and spice
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
With a crisp, light and floral entry, this wine develops into an impressively structured, complex and graceful beauty, full of underlying power. Green apple, pear and quince flavors ride along a supple texture of cohesive, harmonious balance and length.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A wine that goes out to distribution only (as opposed to the winery mailing list), the 2018 Chardonnay Wester Reach is a blend of the Ritchie, Heintz. Lorenzo, Dutton, and DuMOL Estate vineyards and was brought up in 35% new French oak. It has a classic Russian River Valley vibe in its rich orchard fruits, pear, buttered citrus, and brioche aromas and flavors. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied wine that has the fleshy, supple style of the vintage yet stays firmly in the DuMOL stylistic camp with its vibrant acidity and focused finish. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years or so.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Chardonnay Wester Reach comes from the Dumol estate plus fruit from Ritchie, Charles Heintz, Lorenzo and Dutton vineyards. It offers gentle scents of honey, oats, nuts and dried white flowers over a peachy core. The medium-bodied palate has an understated savory character, balancing yeasty and mineral touches and bright acidity, finishing long and mineral-driven. Rating : 94+
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.