An intriguing herbal aromatic grabs my attention here, making me think this might be French. It appears on the palate as well, giving tension to the apple and pear fruit mix. Careful partial malolactic fermentation has my crisp and creamy bell ringing, with both aspects present and contributing greatly to the depth of the whole. It is always fun to reveal a domestic wine in a flight of foreigners when tasting blind. Lovely stuff!
Dutton Estate Winery, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay 2022
By Rich Cook