“Another addition to the range, the 2017 Pinot Noir Doc’s Ranch Vineyard Swan & Calera Selection is delicate, nuanced and full of character. Sweet floral notes, red cherry, mint, cedar and rose petal all grace this exquisite, beautifully layered Pinot Noir. Energetic and bright, the Swan & Calera Selection has a ton to offer, but it needs time to be at its best. Today, it feels a bit compact. Drinking window: 2022-2032. 94 points
The 2017s Pinots are without question the finest wines I have ever tasted from Ross Cobb. Readers will note the appearance of a few new bottlings, including a stellar Pinot from the Wendling Vineyard in Anderson Valley. The 2017s all spent 22 months in barrel, which is long for California standards, but not as long as was once the case here for some wines. Moreover, Cobb has addressed the reduction issues that I felt muted some of the fruit in his wines previously. The 2017s are extraordinarily pure, brilliant wines of the very highest level.”
“Ross Cobb’s 2017 Pinot Noir Rice-Spivak Vineyard is light on its feet, perfumed and gracious. Crushed red berries, wild flowers, cinnamon and citrus all perk up this ethereal, mid-weight Pinot. The 50% whole clusters add aromatic presence and savoriness without overpowering the wine. I very much like the sense of energy here. This is such an elegant Pinot. Drinking window: 2020-2032. 96 points
The 2017s Pinots are without question the finest wines I have ever tasted from Ross Cobb. Readers will note the appearance of a few new bottlings, including a stellar Pinot from the Wendling Vineyard in Anderson Valley. The 2017s all spent 22 months in barrel, which is long for California standards, but not as long as was once the case here for some wines. Moreover, Cobb has addressed the reduction issues that I felt muted some of the fruit in his wines previously. The 2017s are extraordinarily pure, brilliant wines of the very highest level.”
“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.”
“The 2016 Pinot Noir Finn is dense, pliant and super-expressive, with superb depth and all of the textural resonance that makes Russian River Pinot so undeniably alluring. Bright red cherry, plum, dried rose petal and spice all develop with time in the glass. The 2016 is even more impressive from bottle than it was from barrel. Best of all, it will drink well with minimal cellaring. Drinking window: 2021-2031. 94 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 2018 Chardonnay Highland Divide is a wonderfully deep, fleshy wine loaded with Russian River intensity and plenty of structure to match. Lemon confit, almond, dried flowers, chamomile and mint all open up. The Highland Divide offers quite a bit of depth and pure power. I loved it. The Highland Divide is focused on coastal vineyards at elevation. In 2018, the blend is 58% Morelli Lane and 42% Jentoft. Drinking window: 2021-2028. 93 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 2017 Pinot Noir Highland Divide is rich and boisterous in the glass. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, hard candy, cola and spice are amped up in a Pinot that captures all of the natural exuberance of the Russian River. Readers will find an especially bold, juicy style. Drinking window: 2020-2029. 93 points
Over the years, I have learned to allow for plenty of time for my tastings at DuMol. I was super-impressed with the wines I tasted on my last visit. Andy Smith continues to grow the range thoughtfully. The Chardonnays and Pinots remain the strong suits, mostly because they form the core of the range and have really been fine tuned over time. The 2017 Chardonnays have turned out just as well as I had hoped they would. The wines are rich, deep and full of character. Today, I favor the 2017s over the 2018s, which come across as lighter. Then again, the Chardonnays see pretty long élevage (by California standards) of 11 months in oak and 6 months in steel (for the vineyard designates) so there is plenty of time for the 2018s to perhaps gain a bit more dimension. The two vintages appear closer in quality for Pinot Noir. Smith opted to handle the 2018s very gently in the cellar, and did half the number of punchdowns than the norm. Both the 2017s and 2018s are vivid and super-expressive. I favor 2018 over 2017 for the Cabernets and Syrahs, as the longer and more benign growing season was clearly more favorable for both varieties.”
“The 2019 Pinot Noir Ryan Jentoft Vineyard is a gorgeous, exuberant wine. Inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, mint and mocha infuse the 2019 with gorgeous layers of textural sumptuousness. This extroverted, flamboyant Pinot is totally seductive from the very first taste. 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 2017 Pinot Noir Joy Road Vineyard boasts extraordinary aromatic presence and tons of sheer sensuality. Sweet red cherry, raspberry jam, pomegranate, blood orange and mint give the Joy Road its distinctive personality. The 2017 is rich and exotic, but not at all heavy. And that is the magic of the coast. Drinking window: 2022-2032. 95 points
Over the years, I have learned to allow for plenty of time for my tastings at DuMol. I was super-impressed with the wines I tasted on my last visit. Andy Smith continues to grow the range thoughtfully. The Chardonnays and Pinots remain the strong suits, mostly because they form the core of the range and have really been fine tuned over time. The 2017 Chardonnays have turned out just as well as I had hoped they would. The wines are rich, deep and full of character. Today, I favor the 2017s over the 2018s, which come across as lighter. Then again, the Chardonnays see pretty long élevage (by California standards) of 11 months in oak and 6 months in steel (for the vineyard designates) so there is plenty of time for the 2018s to perhaps gain a bit more dimension. The two vintages appear closer in quality for Pinot Noir. Smith opted to handle the 2018s very gently in the cellar, and did half the number of punchdowns than the norm. Both the 2017s and 2018s are vivid and super-expressive. I favor 2018 over 2017 for the Cabernets and Syrahs, as the longer and more benign growing season was clearly more favorable for both varieties.”
“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.”
“The 2016 Pinot Noir Ryan Widdoes Vineyard is one of the most distinctive wines in this lineup. Soaring, perfumed aromatics and bright, red-toned fruit give the Widdoes much of its multi-faceted profile. Red berry fruit, blood orange, mint and floral overtones build as this striking, deeply expressive Pinot shows off its unmistakable pedigree and pure class. Drinking window: 2021-2031. 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.”
