“The 2021 Pinot Noir Bressay Estate Vineyard is a potent, brooding wine. Huge tannins wrap around a core of blackberry, creme de cassis, lavender, chocolate, sage and menthol. Readers will have to be patient, as this powerhouse Pinot is going to need a number of years to come into its own. It’s a tannic beast today. Drinking window: 2025-2041. 96+ points
Winemaker/Co-owner Andy Smith and Associate Winemaker Jenna Davis presented a breathtaking range of 2021s. I was blown away by the wines I tasted from DuMOL this year. Two thousand twenty-one is one of the greatest vintages I have tasted here. That is evident from the very first wines in this lineup. Despite drought conditions, the wines retain terrific acidity and tons of nuance. Interestingly, Smith reported that wines extracted easily in 2021. The Chardonnays are incredibly pure and brilliant. It’s much the same in the Pinots, a stunning collection of wines that reaches its apogee with the Pinot Noir MacIntyre, one of the greatest California Pinots I have ever tasted. The theme of delineation and vibrancy continues through to the Syrahs and Cabernets. Most of the 2021s were in tank, hence scores are in parentheses. This is a very special set of wines that readers will not want to miss.”
“The 2021 Chardonnay Isobel is a classic wine off this site—bright, effusive and soaring in its intensity. Tangerine peel, mint, tropical fruit, white pepper, chamomile and a kiss of reduction all take shape in the glass. The 2021 offers a beguiling mix of textural oiliness and energy. It’s a stunning wine in every way. Drinking window: 2025-2033. 96 points
My most recent visit to DuMOL focused on tasting all the 2021s that were in barrel when I stopped by last year. I am happy to report that the bottled 2021s are every bit as strong as they were from barrel. Unfortunately, my visit also coincided with the bottling of the 2022s, so I was not able to taste those wines. That can happen. Andy Smith is one of the most pragmatic winemakers I know in Sonoma. Bottling times rarely follow a formula and can vary from vintage to vintage and wine to wine, so the lineup here can also vary from tasting to tasting. I will follow up on the 2022s as soon as I have a chance to taste them.”
“The 2023 Chenin Blanc comes from Dumol’s MacIntyre Estate Vineyard. Grapes were harvested on October 9, and the wine was fermented and aged in an Austrian foudre, followed by four months in tank. It bursts from the glass with expressive aromas of white peach, cantaloupe, lime sherbet, beeswax and custard. The medium-bodied palate is powerful and vivacious! Its highly concentrated, mouth-coating flavors are foiled by flinty streaks and a crescendo of laser-like acidity, and it has a very long, expressive finish. It should be long lived in the cellar. 380 cases were made. Drink: 2025-2035. 94 points”
“The 2021 Chardonnay DuMOL Estate Vineyard is a powerful, phenolic, driving wine. Sage, crushed rocks, lemon peel, mint, white pepper and dried herbs infuse the Estate with tremendous complexity. High-density plantings of Mount Eden clone Chardonnay on this site yield a wine of tremendous distinctiveness and vibrancy. Drinking window: 2025-2033. 96 points
My most recent visit to DuMOL focused on tasting all the 2021s that were in barrel when I stopped by last year. I am happy to report that the bottled 2021s are every bit as strong as they were from barrel. Unfortunately, my visit also coincided with the bottling of the 2022s, so I was not able to taste those wines. That can happen. Andy Smith is one of the most pragmatic winemakers I know in Sonoma. Bottling times rarely follow a formula and can vary from vintage to vintage and wine to wine, so the lineup here can also vary from tasting to tasting. I will follow up on the 2022s as soon as I have a chance to taste them.”
“The 2021 Pinot Noir DuMOL Estate Vineyard soars out of the glass with breathtaking aromatics. Crushed flowers, mint, spice, blood orange and pomegranate are immediately captivating. The 202] has it all—striking perfume, deep fruit and structure to burn. This is showing so well, even with its brooding personality very much on display. The Estate is a blend of Swan and Calera selections. Drinking window: 2025-2036. 98 points
My most recent visit to DuMOL focused on tasting all the 2021s that were in barrel when I stopped by last year. I am happy to report that the bottled 2021s are every bit as strong as they were from barrel. Unfortunately, my visit also coincided with the bottling of the 2022s, so I was not able to taste those wines. That can happen. Andy Smith is one of the most pragmatic winemakers I know in Sonoma. Bottling times rarely follow a formula and can vary from vintage to vintage and wine to wine, so the lineup here can also vary from tasting to tasting. I will follow up on the 2022s as soon as I have a chance to taste them.”
“The 2019 Pinot Noir Finn is another fabulous wine in this range. Rich and explosive, the Finn possesses tremendous fruit density, but in the mid-weight style of the year. Dark cherry, plum, lavender and spice are all kicked up several notches. This racy Russian River Pinot hits all the right notes. Drinking window: 2024-2034. 95 points
This is a pretty remarkable set of new releases from DuMOL. The Pinots achieved a level of richness that was not easy in a year with a fair amount of rain early in the season, while the Syrahs and Chardonnays are terrific. Winemaker Andy Smith describes 2019 as a year with uneven flowering, especially in Pinot and Syrah, which resulted in small bunches and naturally low yields. Vineyards required just one pass to adjust crop levels, as opposed to three in 2018. On paper 2019 is a vintage with low acids for the Chardonnays vis-à -vis 2018 and lower tannins for the Pinots as well. In my view, though, the biggest driver of style at DuMOL is an emphasis on freshness and energy that defines the wines today as compared to a decade ago, when the wines were much more opulent and oaky. Another key development has been DuMOL’s transformation into an estate winery. In the early days all of the fruit here was purchased. Today, nearly all the Pinot and Syrah are estate, as is more than half of the Chardonnay.”
“The 2022 Chardonnay Highland Divide comes entirely from Dutton Ranch, and grapes were harvested on August 22 and 31, before the Labor Day heat wave. It’s bursting with perfume and offers a touch of exoticism: dried peaches, lemongrass and hints of tropical fruit are rendered more complex by accents of meringue, beeswax and matchstick. The light-bodied palate is silky and mouthwatering with concentrated layers of honeyed fruit, and the faintest touch of phenolic grip lengthens the finish. 1,250 cases were made. Drink: 2025-2035. 94 points”
“The 2021 Pinot Noir Highland Divide is another superb wine from DuMOL. Succulent dark cherry, plum, spice and lavender infuse the 2021 with tons of depth and textural intensity. Layered and persistent, the Highland Divide is compelling. I loved it. Drinking window: 2023-2031. 94 points
Winemaker/Co-owner Andy Smith and Associate Winemaker Jenna Davis presented a breathtaking range of 2021s. I was blown away by the wines I tasted from DuMOL this year. Two thousand twenty-one is one of the greatest vintages I have tasted here. That is evident from the very first wines in this lineup. Despite drought conditions, the wines retain terrific acidity and tons of nuance. Interestingly, Smith reported that wines extracted easily in 2021. The Chardonnays are incredibly pure and brilliant. It’s much the same in the Pinots, a stunning collection of wines that reaches its apogee with the Pinot Noir MacIntyre, one of the greatest California Pinots I have ever tasted. The theme of delineation and vibrancy continues through to the Syrahs and Cabernets. Most of the 2021s were in tank, hence scores are in parentheses. This is a very special set of wines that readers will not want to miss.”
“The 2020 Pinot Noir Ryan Dutton-Jentoft Vineyard is a standout. It possesses terrific richness and vibrancy, all in a forward, yet mid-weight style that is hugely appealing. Sweet dark cherry, plum, lavender, mint and cinnamon meld together effortlessly. The purity of the flavors is really quite striking. Drinking window: 2022-2028. 94 points
Andy Smith and his team turned out a positively stellar set of 2020 Sonoma wines in what was one of the most challenging years ever. To be sure, the 2020s are on the lighter side, the result of drought and heat that shocked the vines, plus the necessity of harvest that was accelerated in some spots to avoid fires. But the wines are clean and expressive.”
“The 2019 Pinot Noir Joy Road is one of the more subdued wines in the range. It presents a whole range of floral and savory notes, and yet the fruit remains very much in the background. Today, the Joy Road is a bit austere. I would be in no rush here. Drinking window: 2024-2034. 93 points
This is a pretty remarkable set of new releases from DuMOL. The Pinots achieved a level of richness that was not easy in a year with a fair amount of rain early in the season, while the Syrahs and Chardonnays are terrific. Winemaker Andy Smith describes 2019 as a year with uneven flowering, especially in Pinot and Syrah, which resulted in small bunches and naturally low yields. Vineyards required just one pass to adjust crop levels, as opposed to three in 2018. On paper 2019 is a vintage with low acids for the Chardonnays vis-à -vis 2018 and lower tannins for the Pinots as well. In my view, though, the biggest driver of style at DuMOL is an emphasis on freshness and energy that defines the wines today as compared to a decade ago, when the wines were much more opulent and oaky. Another key development has been DuMOL’s transformation into an estate winery. In the early days all of the fruit here was purchased. Today, nearly all the Pinot and Syrah are estate, as is more than half of the Chardonnay.”
“The 2023 Pinot Noir Maclntyre Estate is another hugely promising wine from DuMOL. Dense and packed to the core, the 2023 possesses tremendous density from start to finish. The 2023 is all Calera clone, 100% destemmed. Today, it comes across as rather somber, not as exuberant as the 2021, but far more complete than the 2022. Savory overtones linger on the close. Drinking window: 2026-2038. 95-97 points
This is a stellar set of 2023s from Andy Smith and Jenna Davis at DuMOL. Yields were low for Chardonnay but bountiful for Pinot Noir to the point of requiring considerable thinning of the crop. The Chardonnays are glorious, rich but not heavy, and incredibly expressive of place. That’s a pretty appealing combination in my book. A few of the Chardonnays are in bottle, but most will be bottled this winter. The Pinot Noirs might be even more impressive. They saw 18-21 days on the skins followed by very slow, gradual malolactic fermentations, with no added SO2 in aging until racking. The Bressay, MacIntyre and DuMOL Estate Pinots are all magnificent in the early going. Most of the Pinots had not been bottled at the time of my tastings. I will follow up once I have had a chance to taste the finished wines.”
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Montecillo Vineyard is fabulous. Andy Smith has done a tremendous job marrying the savory intensity of this Moon Mountain site with a lush expression of fruit. A wine of impeccable balance and class, the Montecillo is superb. Naturally, it needs a number of years in bottle to shed some baby fat and show the nuances that are typical of this site. There is so much to look forward to. The 2018 has really blossomed since I tasted it from barrel. Drinking window: 2026-2043. 97 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.”
Antonio Galloni, Vinous (01/21)
In Stock
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