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Varietal
Chardonnay
Vintage
2016
Dutton Ranch
Vintage
2016
Appellation
Russian River Valley
Appellation
Russian River Valley
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Tasting NotesWith a pale gold color and lively passion fruit and lemon-lime aromas that jump out of the glass, this enticing wine shows the exquisite nature of Dutton Ranch Chardonnay. Vibrant and fresh on the palate, with a beam of elegant natural acidity that provides energy and balance, the citrus and tropical flavors carry through to a long, refreshing finish.
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Accolades92 Points, Wine Advocate
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Wine OriginThe Dutton family has been growing grapes in Sonoma County—specifically the Russian River Valley—for generations. Their fruit is highly prized, as their knowledge of the land and meticulous farming have resulted in exceptional consistency and quality over the years. The grapes for this Chardonnay came exclusively from vineyards farmed by the Dutton family in the heart of the Russian River Valley, where the marine influence produces an intense fog layer that regularly covers the region during the growing season, creating a perfect microclimate for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
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Production NotesFor this wine, we selected grapes from four specific sites that exquisitely show the Russian River Valley Chardonnay traits we love. All four benefit from clockwork fog that often lasts until late in the day, as well as the fertile Goldridge soils that make the Russian River Valley famous. These ancient seabed soils grow lush and healthy vines and canopies, which when pruned to achieve a balanced crop load, excel in the cool climate. The four vineyard sites used to compose this wine are the Shop Block and Hansen Hill located at the Dutton Ranch in Graton, as well as the nearby Jewell and Gamlen Ranches, both also off of Graton Road. The fruit was harvested on four separate days from September 19th through September 30th of 2016.
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Winemaker NotesIn order to maximize quality, all grapes went direct to press as whole clusters. After pressing and settling, the juice was racked into French oak barrels for fermentation. This wine partially completed malolactic fermentation (approximately 50%), and was aged in barrel for 10 months on the lees, with occasional stirring to increase richness and body. It was aged in French oak barrels, 29% of which were new, and 24% one-year-old, prior to bottling on August 15th, 2017.