“The 2019 Evangelho Heritage Wine is a total knock-out. The later than normal harvest yielded a wine with a bit more mid-palate juiciness than is typically the case. Dark red/purplish fruit, along with hints of cinnamon and new leather, develop with time in the glass. The Evangelho is a blend of the Zinfandel, Mataro and Carignan-based field blends, with the Mataro quite prominent today, and the Carignane less so. In a word: superb. Zinfandel, Mataro, Carignan, Palomino, Alicante, Mission. Drinking window: 2024-2039. 95 points
Morgan Twain-Peterson MW and Chris Cottrell turned out a dazzling set of 2019s. The whites in particular are brilliant and show just how compelling the vintage is in Sonoma for white varieties. As for the 2019 reds, they don’t quite reach the stratospheric heights of the 2018s, but that is a pretty high bar to match. In the 2019 reds, readers will find aromatic, bright wines with terrific energy and just a bit less structure than in the most important years. More importantly, the Bedrock wines provide a fabulous opportunity to explore the nuances of many top Sonoma sites. Stated another way, the quality of vineyards is especially apparent in 2019, a year with a bit of rain in the spring that caused berries to size up. Lastly, readers won’t want to miss the Zinfandel Old Vine. Twain-Peterson and Cottrell were a bit wary of the wine market during a pandemic and were consequently especially stringent with the lots that were bottled as vineyard designates. Everything else went into the Zinfandel Old Vine, to its benefit, and yours.”
“The 2017 Merlot is deep, fruity and quite expressive. Black cherry, plum new leather, dried herbs and spice are nicely layered in a deep, resonant Merlot. Drinking window: 2020-2027. 90 points”
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Ballard Vineyard is bright, punchy and full of character. Inky red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, spice, pomegranate and mint all race out of the glass, framed by silk tannins that add a real feeling of sensuality. Effusive, aromatic and finessed, the Ballard is superb in this tasting. Readers will find a classy, sublime Cabernet Sauvignon loaded with personality. Drinking window: 2024-2043. 96 points
These three 2018 Cabernets from DuMOL are superb. The wines are deep, polished and so expressive of place. I will review the rest of DuMOL’s extensive lineup in my upcoming Sonoma report. In the meantime, though, readers will want to check out these sublime Cabernets from winemaker Andy Smith and his team.”
“The 2018 Chardonnay Isobel Charles Heintz Vineyard captures all of the grandeur and exoticism that make the best wines from this site so incredibly compelling. Apricot, white flowers, white pepper and marzipan envelop the palate. As always, the Heintz Chardonnay is marked by a very distinctive feeling of oiliness. The 2018 is all class. Drinking window: 2021-2028. 95 points
My tastings at DuMOL are usually pretty epic, as I sample two vintages of pretty much the entire range. The pandemic made a visit this year impossible, so this report focuses on the bottled 2018s. The wines are brilliant across the board, just as they were from barrel. Winemaker Andy Smith describes 2018 as a year with moderate temperatures, especially at harvest time, which allowed for picking tiny sections of vineyards in small, separate passes. From top to bottom, this is an impressive lineup.”
“The 2016 Chardonnay Estate Vineyard is rich and creamy, with a hint of reduction that adds an intriguing upper register of freshness. Orchard fruit, mint, white pepper and chalk are nicely woven throughout. The Estate is a wonderfully complete Chardonnay from DuMol that will drink well for many years to come. Drinking window: 2019-2026. 95 points
Andy Smith and his team turned out a brilliant set of wines in 2017. The harvest was especially condensed, with most days seeing heavy picks of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay pretty much concurrently. Smith told me the DuMOL parcels were affected by a high incidence of shot berries, which naturally lowered yields. Small berries, often with no seeds, further resulted in a collection of dense wines. Smith told me low alcohol conversions resulted in wines with a bit lower alcohol than is typical. That is fascinating, as the wines are quite rich in feel. The bottled 2016s are just as compelling from bottle as they were last year from barrel.”
“The 2016 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard is an absolutely stellar wine. Dark and also quite savory in the glass, the 2016 presents a super-intriguing range of aromas, flavors and textures. The Estate has a Syrah-like feeling of density and darkness that is incredibly appealing. Huge tannins need time to soften. Readers who can wait will be rewarded with a magnificent Pinot Noir. Drinking window: 2021-2031. 96 points
Andy Smith and his team turned out a brilliant set of wines in 2017. The harvest was especially condensed, with most days seeing heavy picks of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay pretty much concurrently. Smith told me the DuMOL parcels were affected by a high incidence of shot berries, which naturally lowered yields. Small berries, often with no seeds, further resulted in a collection of dense wines. Smith told me low alcohol conversions resulted in wines with a bit lower alcohol than is typical. That is fascinating, as the wines are quite rich in feel. The bottled 2016s are just as compelling from bottle as they were last year from barrel.”
