The late spring rains and cool summer in 2020 provided us a long hang-time for our chardonnay vineyards. We harvested the first of our fruit for this wine (the Z Clone) on September 25, and the last (Mill Station) on October 10.

The individual lots are barrel fermented using a combination of indigenous and inoculated yeast strains. They undergo malolactic full fermentation, and the lees are stirred twice monthly through the winter. The blend is assembled, with the primary lees, in early spring, and continues to age in French oak barrels through the summer. We at Dutton-Goldfield choose our barrels to emphasize the fruit and vineyard characteristics of the wine, rather than showcasing the oak itself. We love the ginger/nutmeg overtones of Seguin Moreau, and the buttercream components of Fouquet barrels to compliment the citrus focus of this wine. The wine is bottled in early Fall after approximately ten months in barrel.

VARIETAL: 100% Chardonnay
APPELLATION: Russian River Valley
VINEYARDS: All Certified Sustainable - Mill Station, Sullivan, Walker Hill, Z Clone
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
TITRATABLE ACIDITY: 5.9 gm/Lit.
PH: 3.56
WINEMAKING: 100% barrel fermentation, 100% malolactic fermentation, lees stirred twice monthly
BARREL AGING: Aged 10 months in French oak barrels (40% new barrels)

Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique, separate vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley appellation. We select our favorite Dutton Ranch vineyards to craft a wine reflecting our vision of classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The vineyards are chosen to create a wine with fruit intensity, richness and great acid structure, even after full barrel and malolactic fermentation. All of these vineyards are Sonoma County Certified Sustainable.

The heart of our benchmark Chardonnay is our old vine (greater than 30 years), old clone vineyards located in the cold heart of Green Valley: Mill Station, Sullivan, and Walker Hill. They contribute a focused citrus backbone, lemon/lime/ tropical fruit, and mineral overtones to this offering. Our Z clone block in the cold Valley by the old Dutton shop rounds out the wine with its unctuous pear fruit and creamy mouth feel.

The late start and long cool season in 2019 let us hang our chardonnay vineyards well into the season—we picked the first of our fruit for this wine on September 21, and continued through October 15.

The individual lots are barrel fermented using a combination of indigenous and inoculated yeast strains. They undergo malolactic full fermentation, and the lees are stirred twice monthly through the winter. The blend is assembled, with the primary lees, in early spring, and continues to age in French oak barrels through the summer. We at Dutton-Goldfield choose our barrels to emphasize the fruit and vineyard characteristics of the wine, rather than showcasing the oak itself. We love the ginger/nutmeg overtones of Seguin Moreau, and the buttercream components of Fouquet barrels to compliment the citrus focus of this wine. The wine is bottled in early Fall after approximately ten months in barrel.

100% Chardonnay Alcohol:  13.5% Ta:  6.4 g/L pH:  3.40 100% barrel fermentation 100% malolactic fermentation, lees stirred twice monthly Barrel Aging:  Aged 10 months in French oak barrels (40% new barrels)

Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique, separate vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley appellation. We select our favorite Dutton Ranch vineyards to craft a wine reflecting our vision of classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay.The vineyards are chosen to create a wine with fruit intensity, richness and great acid structure, even after full barrel and malolactic fermentation. All of these vineyards are Sonoma County Certified Sustainable. The heart of our benchmark Chardonnay is our old vine (greater than 30 years), old clone vineyards located in the cold heart of Green Valley: Mill Station, Sullivan, Mengle, and Walker Hill. They contribute a focused citrus backbone, lemon/lime/tropical fruit, and mineral overtones to this offering. Our Z clone block in the cold Valley by the old Dutton shop rounds out the wine with its unctuous pear fruit and creamy mouth feel.

The 2018 season was fairly ideal, with a cool summer and harvest season giving us long hang-time. This allowed us the luxury of picking exactly when we wanted, when the sugars and acids were in perfect alignment. The resulting wines have the excellent balance of lushness and crispness we love.

The individual lots are barrel fermented using a combination of indigenous and inoculated yeast strains. They undergo malolactic full fermentation, and the lees are stirred twice monthly through the winter. The blend is assembled, with the primary lees, in early spring, and continues to age in French oak barrels through the summer. We at Dutton-Goldfield choose our barrels to emphasize the fruit and vineyard characteristics of the wine, rather than showcasing the oak itself. We love the ginger/nutmeg overtones of Seguin Moreau, and the buttercream components of Fouquet barrels to compliment the citrus focus of this wine. The wine is bottled in early Fall after approximately ten months in barrel.

100% Chardonnay Alcohol:  13.5% Ta:  6.7 g/L pH:  3.40 100% barrel fermentation 100% malolactic fermentation, lees stirred twice monthly Barrel Aging:  Aged 10 months in French oak barrels (40% new barrels)

Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique, separate vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley appellation. We select our favorite Dutton Ranch vineyards to craft a wine reflecting our vision of classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The vineyards are chosen to create a wine with fruit intensity, richness and great acid structure, even after full barrel and malolactic fermentation. All of these vineyards are Sonoma County Certified Sustainable. The heart of our benchmark Chardonnay is our old vine (greater than 30 years), old clone vineyards located in the cold heart of Green Valley: Mill Station, Sullivan, Ruxton, Mengle, and Walker Hill. They contribute a focused citrus backbone, lemon/lime/ tropical fruit, and mineral overtones to this offering. Our Z clone block in the cold Valley by the old Dutton shop rounds out the wine with its unctuous pear fruit and creamy mouth feel.

The wet 2017 winter got our vineyards off to a healthy growing season. A postcard-perfect summer followed, and then a heat spike over Labor Day launched us toward ripening and harvest, with our chardonnay vineyards all coming in September 10th to 26th.

The individual lots are barrel fermented using a combination of indigenous and inoculated yeast strains. They undergo malolactic full fermentation, and the lees are stirred twice monthly through the winter. The blend is assembled, with the primary lees, in early spring, and continues to age in French oak barrels through the summer. We at Dutton-Goldfield choose our barrels to emphasize the fruit and vineyard characteristics of the wine, rather than showcasing the oak itself. We love the ginger/nutmeg overtones of Seguin Moreau, and the buttercream components of Fouquet barrels to compliment the citrus focus of this wine. The wine is bottled in early Fall after approximately ten months in barrel.

100% Chardonnay Alcohol:  13.5% Ta:  5.9 g/L pH:  3.44 100% barrel fermentation 100% malolactic fermentation, lees stirred twice monthly Barrel Aging:  Aged 10 months in French oak barrels (40% new barrels)

Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique, separate vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley appellation. Dan and Steve select their favorite Dutton Ranch vineyards to craft a wine reflecting our vision of classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The vineyards we choose are based on our desire to offer wines with fruit intensity, richness and great acid structure, even after full barrel and malolactic fermentation. All of these vineyards are Sonoma County Certified Sustainable. The heart of our benchmark Chardonnay is our old vine (greater than 30 years), old clone vineyards located in the cold heart of Green Valley: Mill Station, Sullivan, Ruxton, Mengle, and Walker Hill. They contribute a focused citrus backbone, lemon/lime/ tropical fruit, and mineral overtones to this offering. George Jewell and Dutton Hill provide classic, bright crystalline fruit, while our Dijon clone 95 block of JJJS, in the cold Valley by the old Dutton shop, rounds out the wine with its unctuous pear fruit and creamy mouth feel.

The individual lots are barrel fermented using a combination of indigenous and inoculated yeast strains. They undergo malolactic full fermentation, and the lees are stirred twice monthly through the winter. The blend is assembled, with the primary lees, in early spring, and continues to age in French oak barrels through the summer. We at Dutton-Goldfield choose our barrels to emphasize the fruit and vineyard characteristics of the wine, rather than showcasing the oak itself. We love the ginger/nutmeg overtones of Seguin Moreau, and the buttercream components of Fouquet barrels to compliment the citrus focus of this wine. The wine is bottled in early Fall after approximately ten months in barrel.

100% Chardonnay Alcohol:  13.8% Ta:  6.6 g/L pH:  3.41 Barrel Aging:  Aged 10 months in French oak barrels (40% new barrels)

Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique, separate vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley appellation. Dan and Steve select their favorite Dutton Ranch vineyards to craft a wine reflecting our vision of classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The vineyards we choose are based on our desire to offer wines with fruit intensity, richness and great acid structure, even after full barrel and malolactic fermentation. The heart of our benchmark Chardonnay (75% between them) is our old vine (greater than 30 years), old clone vineyards located in the cold heart of Green Valley: Mill Station, Sullivan, and Walker Hill. They contribute a focused citrus backbone, lemon/lime/ tropical fruit, and mineral overtones to this offering. George Jewell and Dutton Hill provide classic, bright crystalline fruit, while our Dijon clone 95 block of JJJS, in the cold Valley by the old Dutton shop, rounds out the wine with its unctuous pear fruit and creamy mouth feel.