DuMOL Wester Reach Chardonnay 2022
(Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California) - [WE 95] [JD 95] [JS 94] [WS 92] [TWI 92] [WA 92]

About the Wine:
Our 2022 vintage of “Wester Reach” Chardonnay is a multi-layered interpretation of this classic region where we live and farm. It includes some of the finest sites in the appellation - vineyards that we have planted, farmed, and harvested for over twenty years. Comprising four of our region’s unique sub-districts, the wine blends fruit from the valley itself with vineyards further west, stretching out to the coolest ‘reaches’ of the appellation’s high elevation coastal ridges. Each district contributes something unique, be it valley-floor richness, ridgeline acidity or coastal vibrancy.? 

From the Middle Reach in the north, the broad orchard fruit generosity of our Flax Estate centers the wine. Directly across the river, El Diablo’s volcanic hillside emphasizes texture and density. On the Santa Rosa plain, we layer-in Cornerstone with its piercing acidity and honeyed richness. As we leave the valley itself and inch towards the coast, Winners Circle on the Laguna Ridge provides elegant stone fruit characters. Our own Bressay Estate, in the heart of Green Valley, completes the wine with citrus oil intensity and savory acidity. 

Tasting Notes:
Lovely aromatic purity: pear, honeydew, lemon sorbet, and baked apple notes alongside white flower, spearmint and sea spray edges. Stone and citrus fruit flavors dominate the palate which is broad and enveloping and expands to honeyed lemon and hazelnut richness. The wine’s texture is chewy and layered before fresh acidity lifts the long intense flinty finish. Drink between 2024 and 2028. 

Technical Details:

Harvest Date
August 18th – September 8th

Appellation
Russian River Valley

Clones
Old Wente, Mt Eden & Robert Young

Age of Vines at Harvest
21 years

Barrel Aging
Aged 11 months in 27% new French oak barrels from Tonnelleries Remond, Chassin & ACF followed by 4 months settling in tank

Production
3500 cases of 750mL

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"Bright and aromatically compelling on the nose, this Chardonnay simply vibrates with aromas of green apple, lemon balm, orange blossom and river rocks. The palate is energetic, giving flavors of apricot, Meyer lemon peel and a massive streak of acidity ripping from front to back." (Oct 2024)

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"A bright yellow color, the 2022 Chardonnay Wester Reach is a textbook example of this vintage, with a lot of elegance and a wide drinking window. From the Russian River Valley and aged in 25% new oak barrels for 11 months, it takes on more glycerol richness and a rounded profile. A great wine out of the gate, it captures the sunny feel of the region, but it's light on its feet and closes with a great finish. This is a crowd-pleaser of a wine, and I would be happy to have this on my table at any stage. Drink 2024-2032. (Drink between 2024-2032)." - Audrey Frick (June 2024)

94 Points - James Suckling:
"So much Meyer lemon and apple character with some pears on the nose and palate. It’s medium-bodied. It’s like tasting out of a fermenter full of crushed must. Such unadulterated purity. A tight palate with bright acidity and lovely fruit. Drink now."  (June 2024)

92 Points - Wine Spectator:
"An expressive version, offering notes of mango, nectarine and dried apricot on a succulent and fleshy frame, with juicy accents of ginger, lemon balm and orange zest lingering on the finish. Drink now." - MaryAnn Worobiec (July 2024)

92 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2022 Chardonnay Wester Reach is sourced from several vineyards, including Flax (40%) and Dumol Estate (15%), and grapes were harvested from August 18–September 7. It sits low in the glass at this stage, with understated notes of peach, mushroom powder, flint and cheese rind. The light-bodied palate is soft and rounded with saline-tinged fruit and a gently flinty finish." - Erin Brooks (July 2024)