Winemaker Notes
The wine shows this in its textural quality, which is sensed even in the aromatics. Lemon, lime, and honeydew melon are weaved with wisteria and honeysuckle floral notes in the nose. The mouth brings a focused core of citrus wrapped with a creamy embrace, which dissolves into a bright lemon sweet tart finish. A little crushed oyster shell minerality at the end foretells of the telltale diesel notes that the best Rieslings show with age.
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.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
Bordered by Napa and Sonoma Valleys to the north and the Golden gate Bridge to the south, most of the region’s vineyards are planted on Marin County’s western side where they are exposed to the moist and cold air of the Pacific Ocean. Varieties like Pinot noir and Chardonnay do well here.