This is a predominantly Rich & Full wine, but it shares structural nuances of Balance & Finesse as described in the tasting note below.
Tasting Notes
Full bodied with attractive acidity that adds freshness, the DuMOL Wester Reach Chardonnay unfolds with pear, more subtle lemon rind, and tropical fruit, followed by notes of white flowers, chalk, white pepper, and vanilla.
Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
ACIDITY
Low
Moderate
Balanced
Crisp
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
14.1%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
Deftly balances energy and richness with complexity to boot.
GRAPE VARIETAL(S)
Chardonnay
100%Shar-do-NAY
Chardonnay may be the most versatile white wine grape, often seen as a blank canvas. It displays various flavors and aromas depending on where it is grown and more specifically, how it is made. It can range in Palate Character from Bright & Crisp to Rich & Full depending on the climate. It is also particularly malleable and highly affected by winemaking choices like as malolactic fermentation, lees stirring, barrel fermentation and ageing practices.
Founded in 1996, DuMOL is dedicated to crafting highly nuanced, vineyard-focused Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from distinctive sites in the cool-climate Russian River Valley. Winemaker, Viticulturist and Partner Andy Smith leads a small and experienced team at DuMOL, to craft wines of depth, clarity, and elegance through attention to detail in the vineyards and vintage-specific winegrowing. DuMOL believes the best fertilizer is the footsteps of the farmer, and is dedicated to a portfolio of estate and grower-partner vineyards, primarily within a 10-mile radius. Expanding upon twenty-five years of experience, DuMOL also grows and produces small-lot Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, and Mencía from some of the finest vineyards in Sonoma and Napa.
Each bottling is built in the vineyard. Soil types, microclimates, plant material, maturity levels, how the vines react to the growing conditions, how we react to the vines – there are so many detailed variables. The nuance, the depth, and complexity of the fruit that results from those variables – that’s what we aim to achieve and translate to bottle: purity, vibrancy, freshness – intensity without heaviness.
“It takes time to discover a vineyard’s defining characteristics and even longer to employ the right winemaking technique to draw out those features in the wines. It requires sensitivity, a lightness of touch. We try not to layer in too many winemaking techniques. We try not to obscure the vineyard character. Ultimately, this allows us to achieve a more complex, multi-dimensional, effortless quality in our wines."
Pear
Lemon Rind
Vanilla
