Winemaker Notes
The Rued Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 is concentrated candy for adults: the nose of pear, mango and tangerine fruit, with tones of toffee, ginger, mineral and honeydew lure you in, while focused flavors of lychee, melon and lime keep you coming back. Dutton Goldfield prizes Rued for its cleansing phenolic edge and bright acidity which balances its lushness, and carries the pear, apple and buttercream finish. You will be rewarded by letting it open up in the glass, not to mention aging for many years to come.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The cold and fog actually helped this Chardonnay, which achieves a remarkable delicacy and tartness despite the power of its fruit. Really remarkable for the flood of golden mango, Asian pear and Key lime pie richness, which is grounded by a firm minerality. Oak influence and aging on the lees lend the perfect touches of smoky, buttered toast and zesty creaminess to this dry, polished wine.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Tasting the 2010 Dutton Goldfield Rued Vineyard Chardonnay at nine years of age was a treat. TASTING NOTES: This wine is complex and riveting. Its well-developed aromas and flavors of ripe fruit, vanilla, and citrus rind should pair well with chicken salad, pickled scallions, and a touch of hot chili oil. (Tasted: September 9, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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.
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.