DuMOL, Wester Reach, Russian River Valley, Chardonnay, 2023, 14.1% abv.
Nose: on pour it is quite herbal/boiled pork, then turns to grape candy, hint of chalk and cheese. Becomes sweeter and fruitier with time. Not getting any obvious vanilla, caramel, or butter notes.
Palate: medium body, starts off as a typical chardonnay with a bit of sweetness and tartness, apples and pears to be more precise, with the back palate showing more metallic elements like copper, tin, and aluminum, not getting alcohol. After an hour, pineapples dominate the palate, but for some reason it's not very exciting. Not sure why as I like pineapple. This reminds me of some Kistler single vineyards.
Finish: medium, dry, old cheddar, fragrant wood, minimal alcohol. After an hour, its just lemons. Interesting contrast to the palate.
Vernacular: nose of primary and secondary aromas. Medium body, somewhat linear, moderate acidity, medium to high minerality, tropical sweetness. Medium finish, acidic, minimal alcohol.
Heard and read many good things about DuMOL. This bottling reminds me of the dilemma when showcasing chardonnay… to wood or not to wood, and even then do they have the barrel knowledge base of whisky makers? Guess I picked the wrong bottle, but this was the only one available… maybe that's why it was on sale? Got this for USD$55 in Los Angeles, USA.
Grade: C+
by starvinggigolo
1 Comment
Another contender for wine glass jail