Dutton Goldfield Winery unveiled their two new Russian River Valley 2011 varietals to fanfare and appreciative sipping.
“As a winemaker, some wines you craft just perfectly suit your own taste,” said winemaker Dan Goldfield. “The 2011 Dutton Ranch chardonnay ($35) is definitely in this group. Its combination of focus and opulence, plush fruit and steely minerality are exactly what we strive for in this bottling.”
After undergoing malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged 10 months in French oak barrels. Goldfield said the winery chooses its barrels to emphasize the fruit and vineyard characteristics of the wine rather than showcasing the oak.
This honey-hued chardonnay opens with lemon cream and tangerine aromas. The main attraction is on the palate with Mandarin orange, buttercream and crisp minerality.
Pour this with goat cheese tarts, pasta in cream sauce and roast pork loin.
“With its tiny crop and unusually cold weather, the 2011 Dutton Ranch 2011 pinot noir gave us an extraordinary fresh and sleek wine,” Goldfield said. “We harvested fruit with great aromatic character and bright acid/sugar balance.”
The reward is what the winemaker envisioned.
Red berry, cinnamon and black cherry aromas envelope the nose and set the scene for Act II. Cascades of more intense cherry and lush strawberry beg for another sip.
Goldfield said he adds a little of this pinot noir in a marinade for wild salmon.
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