2014 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay
Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley
This vintage is a Chablis-like take on Chardonnay, in the best of ways. To start, it shines like sunlight in the glass. A truly detailed wine with Old World acidity and styling begins with oak and vanillin notes that are perfectly matched to the steely citrus that define its tone. After it’s poured, the oak lactones evolve to evoke flavors of cotton candy, honeysuckle and vanilla bean. Let it rest even further, and the wine exposes smoky and mineral notes of crushed granite and flint rocks. There is never a dull moment experiencing this wine. Flavors pop and are focused around the bright core built upon finesse and fine acidity.