Winemaker Notes
The 2013 Rued Chardonnay comes through once again with everything we love about this vineyard and the wine: that great combination of solid structure, richness and opulence, yet focus and brightness at the same time. With vines that are over 40 years old vines, we've come to expect this consistency from vintage to vintage, regardless of the weather conditions (although they were nearly perfect again in 2013). The nose leads with citrus blossoms, lively lemon oil, guava and mango. There's an energy to the aromatics, along with a definite sense of creaminess. The mouth is lush with lemon cream pie flavors and Rued's signature minerality, echoing that same intriguing interplay of freshness and decadence. The wine leaves you with a kiss of toasty crème brulee on the finish.
Rued always pairs beautifully with luxurious creamy dishes or any kind of shellfish, and it's also wonderful with aged cheeses,like Valley Ford's Estero Gold Reserve.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
The producer found out after planting this site in 1969 that half of what it thought was Old Wente selection is the Rued clone, also known as the Chardonnay musque selection. Caramel and butterscotch greet the nose on entry before lushly lean streaks of apple skin and mango weave their way on the dappled palate. There's a compelling crispness to the finish. Editors’ Choice
-
Decanter
Honeysuckle and melon complement the rich oak. Lovely integration on the palate with some minerality, zesty orange and tropical fruit notes. Concentrated and suave with personality and flair; finishes quite long.
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.
Situated on the foggier and colder western edge of the Russian River Valley, almost abutting the Sonoma Coast appellation, Green Valley is one of California’s most reputable Chardonnay and Pinot noir producing regions. It is also a wonderful source of sparkling wines made from these varieties.
Goldridge soils abound throughout the Green Valley appellation. This fine, dark, sandy loam and fractured sandstone is derived from the remains of ancient inland seabeds dating back three to five million years. It is valuable for high quality grape growing because of its excellent drainage and low fertility.