2021 Chardonnay Isobel Charles Heintz Vineyard

My most recent visit to DuMOL focused on tasting all the 2021s that were in barrel when I stopped by last year. I am happy to report that the bottled 2021s are every bit as strong as they were from barrel. Unfortunately, my visit also coincided with the bottling of the 2022s, so I was not able to taste those wines. That can happen. Andy Smith is one of the most pragmatic winemakers I know in Sonoma. Bottling times rarely follow a formula and can vary from vintage to vintage and wine to wine, so the lineup here can also vary from tasting to tasting. I will follow up on the 2022s as soon as I have a chance to taste them.

Winemaker/Co-owner Andy Smith and Associate Winemaker Jenna Davis presented a breathtaking range of 2021s. I was blown away by the wines I tasted from DuMOL this year. Two thousand twenty-one is one of the greatest vintages I have tasted here. That is evident from the very first wines in this lineup. Despite drought conditions, the wines retain terrific acidity and tons of nuance. Interestingly, Smith reported that wines extracted easily in 2021. The Chardonnays are incredibly pure and brilliant. It's much the same in the Pinots, a stunning collection of wines that reaches its apogee with the Pinot Noir MacIntyre, one of the greatest California Pinots I have ever tasted. The theme of delineation and vibrancy continues through to the Syrahs and Cabernets. Most of the 2021s were in tank, hence scores are in parentheses. This is a very special set of wines that readers will not want to miss.