2015 Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)
$50 (2015)
United States
Russian River Valley
Sonoma
White
Chardonnay (2015 vintage)
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2015
2018 - 2025
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My tasting at Du Mol was one the highlights of my January trip to Sonoma. Andy Smith describes 2016 as a classic California vintage with lower acidities than the 2015, which I suspect is more a reflection of the timing of picking decisions rather than a reflection of the vintages themselves. Regardless, 2016 and 2015 are two fabulous back to back vintages at Du Mol. This range is seriously impressive. The 2016 Chardonnays were all in tank when I tasted them, while the 2016 Pinots and Cabernets were still in oak.
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2014
2017 - 2022
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Andy Smith has turned out a striking set of wines at DuMol. Over the last few years, Smith seems to have settled into a more relaxed, comfortable style at DuMol that is helped by not having to divide his attention between DuMol and Larkmead, as he once did. Smith is picking a bit earlier and going for more freshness and energy in his wines. The results are truly spectacular. There are many, many highlights in this range. Readers should not miss the 2014 Cabernets, both of which have really blossomed since I tasted them from barrel last year. The Cabernet program grows to five wines in 2015, so there is plenty to look forward to, including new wines from Meteor (that fruit went into the Napa Valley bottling in 2014), Ballard and Tench.
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2013
2016 - 2021
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This is a strong set of new releases from DuMOL. Winemaker Andy Smith has really dialed in his approach here over the last few years, and it shows. Harvest dates have been moved up, while in general Smith is seeking a bit more freshness in his wines than was the case a few years ago. That is especially true of the Chardonnays, which now also spend eleven months in barrel followed by six months in tank, a fairly classic aging regime today in Burgundy that is less common in California. Smith has also introduced two new Cabernets, with more to follow. As readers probably know, Smith made the wines at Larkmead for years, so Cabernet is intimately familiar. The first wines are quite impressive.
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2011
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"We picked when we wanted to, mostly in the second half of September," said Andy Smith about the 2011 harvest in Sonoma County."We harvested everything except the Charles Heintz chardonnay before the first rain on October 3."Even if he doesn't consider 2011 to be at the level of 2010 here, Smith believes that the 2011 chardonnays are balanced from the start, showing "intensity and energy more than weight."The pinots may be less dense than normal, owing to the reduced number of sunshine hours during the growing season, added Smith, "but they don't lack for structure."(He indicated some concern about the 2012 pinots because of the high crop levels.)Syrah was the most challenging variety here in 2011 and a lot of fruit was declassified as a result of underripeness or problems with the grape skins."The year was not good for vinifying with whole clusters due to botrytis," noted Smith.
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2011
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"We picked when we wanted to, mostly in the second half of September," said Andy Smith about the 2011 harvest in Sonoma County. "We harvested everything except the Charles Heintz chardonnay before the first rain on October 3." Even if he doesn't consider 2011 to be at the level of 2010 here, Smith believes that the 2011 chardonnays are balanced from the start, showing "intensity and energy more than weight." The pinots may be less dense than normal, owing to the reduced number of sunshine hours during the growing season, added Smith, "but they don't lack for structure." (He indicated some concern about the 2012 pinots because of the high crop levels.) Syrah was the most challenging variety here in 2011 and a lot of fruit was declassified as a result of underripeness or problems with the grape skins. "The year was not good for vinifying with whole clusters due to botrytis," noted Smith.
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2010
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According to Andy Smith, "2010 was a vintage that succeeded because of the wines' balance, acidity and elegance.On top of that they have power."The cool, grey summer allowed for "gentle ripening" and flavor buildup with no danger of sunburn or runaway sugars, he said, adding that in many cases the wines "have a rare combination of brooding and bright."The even-keeled Smith, who is disinclined to hyperbole, said that thinks that his 2010s "are the best set of wines we've ever made, no question" and that they will reward patience, "even if they're quite complex right now."
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2008
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"We harvested early in 2008," Andy Smith told me, "with healthy acidity and before any problems with heat spikes from an Indian summer." Smith said that he's wary of battonage with chardonnay because "if the fruit was healthy and ripe then there should be plenty of richness in there already. Better to let it work itself out; that's what all the vineyard work of the year was for." He said that he would far rather err on the side of picking pinot a little too early than a little too late: "I'd much prefer to make an herbal wine than a raisined one," he explained.
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2004
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2003
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2002
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2001
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We're into blending rather than making vineyard-designated wines," explains DuMol co-owner Kerry Murphy. DuMol has extensive control over farming practices at the vineyards it buys from, and some of its contracts specify payment by the acre, giving DuMol the flexibility to have crop levels reduced to ensure better ripeness and concentration of fruit. Andy Smith, who also makes the Gemstone red blend, is winemaker here. He told me that the style has changed somewhat since '98 and '99, "when we were making wines in a fruit-bomb style." For starters, he has reduced fermentation temperatures to extend the fermentations. He keeps a relatively high percentage of solids with the young wines but does only limited lees stirring. The blends are normally made in June or July; the wines then go back into barrel, with all the lees kept for the chardonnay and a substantial amount for the pinot. Smith uses the wines' last months in barrel "to lose the fermentation character of the fruit."
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2000
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1999
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