Chardonnay Highland Divide, DuMOL 2023

This is a stellar set of 2023s from Andy Smith and Jenna Davis at DuMOL. Yields were low for Chardonnay but bountiful for Pinot Noir to the point of requiring considerable thinning of the crop. The Chardonnays are glorious, rich but not heavy, and incredibly expressive of place. That’s a pretty appealing combination in my book. A few of the Chardonnays are in bottle, but most will be bottled this winter. The Pinot Noirs might be even more impressive. They saw 18-21 days on the skins followed by very slow, gradual malolactic fermentations, with no added SO2 in aging until racking. The Bressay, MacIntyre and DuMOL Estate Pinots are all magnificent in the early going. Most of the Pinots had not been bottled at the time of my tastings. I will follow up once I have had a chance to taste the finished wines. Drink: 2025-2030

The 2023 Chardonnay Highland Divide comes from Dutton Ranch’s Morelli and Jentoft vineyards. Grapes were harvested September 23 and October 9, and the wine was matured for 11 months in 20% new French oak cigare barrels, which have imparted intoxicating scents of custard and caramel. As it unfurls in the glass, it reveals wafts of candied peach, guava, orange peel and tropical flowers. The full-bodied palate is more reserved at this stage, though it boasts an exceptionally silky texture and seamless vibrancy. It offers a dynamic interplay of hedonism and tension and a very long finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years in the cellar. 1,220 cases were madde. Drink: 2028-2040