DuMOL Clare Chardonnay, Carneros, USA

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The 2007 Chardonnay Clare (from an old Wente clone planted in the Hyde Vineyard) is the most limited single vineyard Chardonnay (400 cases produced). This backward offering displays a liqueur of rocks intermixed with lemon and orange blossom notes, an intense, full-bodied mouthfeel, a green-ish hue to its color, broad, expansive body, and superb purity as well as texture. Enjoy this beauty over the next decade or more. With highly committed proprietor Kerry Murphy and talented winemaker Andy Smith, DuMol continues to be one of the most reliable names in winedom for high quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Moreover, consumers should not overlook their top flight Viognier and blockbuster Syrahs. All of the Chardonnays are barrel-fermented and spend 18 months on their lees with monthly stirring. The percentage of new French oak used varies from around 45% to 55%. The Pinot Noirs are kept on their lees for about 15 months, and the percentage of new oak ranges from 40% to 60%. The clonal material comes from old California selections such as Calera, Swan, and Martini as well as newer Dijon clones such as 115 and 777. As I reported in issue #180, the cool growing conditions in 2007 produced some of the finest Chardonnay fruit that winemaker Andy Smith had ever seen. The 2008 Chardonnay crop was average in size, but produced very tiny berries. All the wines had relatively slow malolactics (not unusual at this winery). Tel. (925) 254-8922; Fax (925) 254-8942