Winemaker Notes
As with all the wines this vintage, there’s a friendly forwardness to this Syrah, which shows in the exuberant bright boysenberry fruit that leads the nose. The characteristic leather and sandalwood savory notes back up the fruit, along with some pretty purple flower aromas of violet and wisteria. In the glass, the density
and richness of the wine is apparent, and the mouth delivers that promise, with
blackberry pie framed by white pepper and cedar, along with a touch of grilled meat adding a wild element to the flavors. Firm but round tannins carry the juicy fruit and dusky spice to a lengthy finish.
Grilled meats come to mind first as excellent matches, such as spare ribs, grilled lamb, or Carolina pulled pork. A tangy and creamy cheese brings out the sweet fruit and texture of the wine beautifully. We love a goat Gouda, Bellwether’s Pepato, and a mild Camembert.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This grows on three acres of syrah at the top of a south- facing ridge, where the vines ripen their fruit in an otherwise cool spot for the variety in western Green Valley, above the northern reaches of the Petaluma Gap. It was the last fruit Dan Goldfield harvested in 2016, which he then destemmed and left for a five-day cold soak before fermenting it in small open- top vats. Over the course of 23 months in oak barrels (40 percent new), the wine developed layers of darkness and light—the cool feel of a coastal forest (think Armstrong Woods). For now, it has the fragrant restraint and tension of a far-coast pinot noir, with a deeper syrah tone to its damson plum fruit. That inner tension will sustain its freshness as the wine develops with age.
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Wine Enthusiast
From a site on the western edges of the appellation, this wine spent 23 months in French oak, 40% of it new. Baked plum, raspberry and blueberry fruit match a core of gamy intensity and elements of iron, leather and violet, the texture layered and thick.
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Wine Spectator
Deeply structured yet retains finesse, offering smoked meat, blueberry and grilled sweet anise flavors that build tension toward medium-grained tannins. Best from 2023 through 2030.
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.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
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.