With lower than normal production levels, and perhaps because of them, the 2014 DuMol releases are turning out to be quite spectacular! I would say that several of these may the best releases ever from this winery. Look for some rave reviews from the wine critics! And when a winery like DuMOL is in high-demand, you can bet that this means the allocation will sell out quickly.
DuMOL 2014 Chloe Chardonnay Russian River Valley – 95 Points
Retail 75.00 – GGWC 71.99
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This has been one of my favorites for years! The Chloe offers a brilliant pale yellow gold color. The wine is richly aromatic, with nectarine, orange marmalade, mango, and a subtle edge of fragrant lilies. On the palate the wine is broad with intense fruit richness, white peach, citrus oil, toasted nuts, almond paste, brioche. Real sense of thrusting power, but perfect balance between pulsating fruit and precise acidity. Lemon zest finish.
Anthony Galloni 95 Points: “The 2014 Chardonnay Chloe Ritchie-Lorenzo Old Vines is one of the biggest, most voluptuous wines in the range, but like all of the Chardonnays, the 2014 has preserved notable acidity and freshness. Here it is the wine’s overall balance that truly stands out.”
Robert Parker 2013 Review 96 Points: “The 2013 Chardonnay Chloe, which comes from two great vineyard sources, the Ritchie and Lorenzo, was treated similarly in terms of its aging 12 months on its lees, then four months in tank. Good acidity buttresses a relatively full-throttle, big, rich, honeyed wine, with plenty of apple blossom, orange marmalade, and pineapple notes. There is some underlying minerality as well. This should also drink well for at least a decade.
Winemaker Notes: Orange blossom, orange marmalade, peach and nectarine, prosciutto and melon. Oyster shell freshness and wet stone minerals. Sweet and pliant fruit-filled palate. Real depth and extract. Honey and baking spice. The deep, deep flavors linger long on the layered rising whistle-clean finish. Great pedigree. Rich, broad and powerful fruit-driven wine with old vine sinew and a clean mineral spine. Lots of nuance and detail.”
DuMOL 2014 Clare Chardonnay Russian River Valley – 93 Points
Retail 75.00 – GGWC 71.99
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The Clare bottling showcases a brilliant pale straw color. The nose offers great aromatic purity of lemon, mineral, sea spray, green apple, mint freshness that opens to poached pear and toasted almond. A very intense stone fruit palate, oatmeal richness and nutmeg. Density builds in the glass, intense salty acidity and nice waxy/oily finish. Very limited.
Anthony Galloni 93 Points: “The 2014 Chardonnay Clare Hyde Vineyard is an attractive wine, but it also comes across as a bit less complex than the other Chardonnays in the range. There is no shortage of depth or density, but the aromatics are a bit muted today. The Hyde went into tank with all of its lees, which, along with six months in tank, explains why the wine is not as expressive as some of the other wines in the range.”
Winemaker Notes: “Brilliant pale straw color with a green tinge. Explosive aromatics: lemon zest, white nectarine, geranium, spearmint, thyme and oyster shell. Great clarity and direct focus. Deep precise flavors. Mineral, stream bed and crisp apple. Dry, tangy and pulsating. Really opens up as it grows in the glass. Oatmeal and almond paste, body and richness. Weighty, broad deep savory finish, rising grapefruit character. Incredibly dynamic wine – mineral, tense and deep with building fruit richness. A livewire with long cellaring potential.”
DuMOL 2014 Isobel Chardonnay Russian River Valley – 94 Points
Retail 75.00 – GGWC 71.99
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Brilliant pale gold color. Intriguing mix of savory and sweet aromas: pear, fennel, cut grass, crisp apple, lemongrass, quince, complex herbal notes. Generous palate entry, but quite delicate, round and mellow. Tangerine, lemon and almond. Lovely progression along the palate, subtle richness, but always vibrant pin-point acidity. Complex truffle/hazelnut finish.
Galloni 94 Points 2014: “DuMol’s Chardonnay Isobel Charles Heintz Vineyard is bright, focused and vibrant on the palate, with a real sense of energy that balances the inherent richness that is so typical of this site. Apricot, peach, chamomile, sweet floral and lightly tropical notes form an attractive fabric of aromas, flavors and nuances. This is a lovely showing. The window of picking at Charles Heintz was quite long in 2014 and stretched for nearly two weeks.”
Winemaker Notes: “Sea spray, green olive, cheese rind, freshly cut grass and sage aromas. Palate richness expands: citrus oil, white stone fruits and honey. Intense, mineral and precise. Fine interplay between botanical, floral and fruit elements – chamomile, white blossom and meyer lemon. Lovely balance and fine length. Subtle leesy texture builds density. Brisk finishing acidity. Long star anise/lemongrass finish. Beautiful, savory, focused wine with subtle depth and gradually evolving texture. Pinpoint coastal signature.”
DuMOL 2014 Pinot Noir “Aidan” Russian River Valley- 96 Points
Retail 95.00 – GGWC 89.99
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The Aidan offers a medium dark ruby red color. The wine offers a bright, vibrant and high-toned aroma with great energy. Rainier cherry, fresh raspberry, pine needle, fragrant roses, a touch of iron. Classic coastal palate with explosive fruits: fresh raspberry coulis, huckleberry, bing cherry. Full-bodied, rich and satisfying, but always bright and juicy. Dusty cocoa powder, tobacco finish.
Anthony Galloni 96 Points: “The 2014 Pinot Noir Aidan Wildrose Vineyard is all about tension and energy. Beautifully chiseled throughout, the 2014 is loaded with the essence of dark red/purplish fruit, wild flowers, mint, cinnamon and crushed rocks. I very much like the verve in the 2014, a wine that is shaping up to be a real gem.”
Winemaker Notes: “Aromas of dark cherry and black raspberry, tobacco leaf, sweet cedar and grapefruit peel. Taut, focused and energetic palate entry. Soaring inner mouth fragrance and direct intensity. Succulent layers of pure deep dark cherry fruit. Graphite, tarragon and anise savory complexity. Building volume and deep structural presence. Pulsating acidity. Long aging potential – 10+ years. A sophisticated, classic fruit-driven wine accented by mineral and fresh herb notes.”
DuMOL 2014 Ryan Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – 95 Points
Retail 96.00 – GGWC 89.99
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Ryan is becoming the flag ship of DuMOL’s designated series. The 2014 vintage offers up a deep rose color, quite dark & brilliant. The wine shows of complex floral and seasoned aromas of juniper, bay leaf, anise then wild berry sweetness, kirsch, sassafras and tobacco. The wine offers great power and dimension to the palate. It is rich, but never soft – a lean dynamic power. Boysenberry, maple, cocoa then mint and game. Fine tannin-acid balancing act. Fresh orange zest on the finish.
Anthony Galloni 95 Points: “One of the many highlights in this lineup, the 2014 Pinot Noir Ryan Widdoes Vineyard offers notable depth and concentration. There is a real sense of gravitas to the Ryan, while a dollop of whole clusters (15%) adds aromatic intrigue, something that is so typical of Martino clone Pinots. Sweet red cherry and floral notes built to the intense, richly textured finish.”
Winemaker Notes: “Dark brooding fruit flavors: black raspberry and vineyard-typical black cherry compote. Anise, rosemary and mint leaf then smoked meat. Bold fruit entry, obvious concentration and density but always fresh and pure. Blackberry sweetness, rich and broad, palate-staining. Lingering cherry pit and bergamot tea finish. A powerful muscular wine with layers of deep fruit and classic Californian broad texture, but always nuanced, complex and fresh, never heavy or simple.
DuMOL 2014 Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – 95 Points
Retail 105.00 – GGWC 99.00
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This is the eight “Estate” release. This bottling offers a brilliant deep rose color. The nose shows penetrating floral, fruit and seasoned aroma. On the palate you’ll encounter black cherry and raspberry, fresh herbs, fragrant flowers, toffee and cocoa powder. Great vineyard purity with tightly entwined aromas and flavors. Dark fruits, earth, fresher blueberry, orange zest, a hint of black olive. Structured back end with lifting acidity and youthful tannins.
Anthony Galloni 95 Points: “A wine of density and wound up energy, the 2014 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard is very tightly coiled at this stage. All the elements are there for the Estate to develop into a splendid Pinot with proper aging, especially if the wine finds a more refined register over time. Even so, the 2014 is attractive, if a bit monolithic next to the other wines in this range.”
Winemaker Notes: “Brilliance in the glass. Cranberry, pomegranate, rhubarb and black raspberry fruit. Bay laurel, graphite and tarragon complexity. Underbrushy and woodsy, edgy and intriguing. Savory entry, red currant and sassafras, Rainier cherry and dark cassis. Broad across the palate, density and weight. Clove, lavender and forest floor. Balances succulence and structure. Youthful acidity and fresh minerals extend the finish. Slower to open. This one will age. Really fascinating, commanding pinot – a beautiful mix of red and black fruits, savory elements and chewy tannins.”
DuMOL 2014 “Jack Roberts” Syrah, Russian River Valley – 96 Points
Retail 85.00 – GGWC 81.99
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This 100% Syrah is sourced entirely from the Dutton-Gregoir vineyard. The wine offers a saturated purple color; wonderfully intense high-toned floral aromas with sage, cracked pepper, bacon and blue fruit notes. Cassis, blueberry and blackberry liqueur dominate the palate with a swirling inner-mouth violet floral perfume. Great density and volume but also sleek, focused, long and elegant. Rich tannins and snappy acidity combine on a peppery youthful finish. Cellar for at least two years or decant before serving.
Anthony Galloni 96 Points: “The 2014 Syrah Jack Robert’s Run Estate Vineyard is super-refined and polished throughout. Almost Pinot-like in its personality, the 2014 is bright, focused and light on its feet. Sweet red stone fruit, wild flowers, mint, herbs and dried flowers are some of the signatures. In 2014, the Jack Robert’s Run is all class.”
Winemaker Notes: “Wildly aromatic, deep and vivid. Black and blue fruits, white and black pepper, sage and anise, thyme blossom, lilacs and violet. Blackberry liqueur and spicy plum compote palate, intense and broad. Great floral inner mouth perfume. Bold, succulent layers of billowing texture then dense, chewy, cocoa-dusted tannins, voluptuous and gripping. Rising, dominant fruit-filled finish. Cool climate Syrah of power and intensity, delicacy and concentration. Aromatic, fruit and savory elements in gorgeous harmony.
DuMOL 2014 “Eddie’s Patch” Syrah, Russian River Valley – 94 Points
Retail 95.00 – GGWC 89.99
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The big boy “Eddie’s Patch” Syrah has a saturated purple color of dense and concentrated ripe dark fruits. Out of the glass gobs of blackberry and cassis with menthol, tapenade, mineral and iron tones greet you with pleasure. The wine maintains a floral elegance and lifted aromatic character. It has a bright red fruit entry, lighter than the nose suggests, then dark fruit compote but not heavy or too forward, truffle notes, pepper, thyme and sage. Rich tannins round out the finish and aromatic graphite notes linger. Always decant this big boy before serving, and let it breathe for an hour or two!
Anthony Galloni 94 Points: “The 2014 Syrah Eddie’s Patch Greywacke Vineyard is the first wine from a site that will inform this wine until Hoppe-Kelly comes back on line. Tasted from barrel, the 2014 Eddie’s Patch is deep, dense and noticeably sweet through the middle, all a reflection of this relatively warm site planted with Alban clone Syrah. Today, the 2014 is a bit raw and not fully put together. It will be interesting to see what more time in barrel brings.”
Winemaker Notes: “Deep blueberry, blackberry and dark cherry fruit with bay laurel, pine needle, menthol and a resonant balsamic note. The aromas directly translate to flavors. Wintergreen complexity, charcoal and a strong volcanic iron quality. Dark core of rich, full fruit. Walnut sweetness with dried herb freshness. Weighty and concentrated but wonderfully energetic. Plum skin tanginess on the mouth filling finish. There’s long term aging potential here. Complex, multi-layered wine with fine interplay between vintage-derived deep fruit core and vineyard signature soil-driven elements.”
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Tasting Notes | Frank January 28, 2016 | 
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