2005 DUTTON'S RANCH CHARDONNAY
Russian River Valley

The Wine
Light straw in color, this medium bodied chardonnay has aromas of toasty oak, vanilla, baking spices, ripe pear and apple. The palate shows flavors of tropical fruit, ripe pear and toasty oak. Flavors of cream corn, ripe pear and honey linger on the palate creating a complex, yet elegant finish. Perfect pairing with Lobster or scallops.

The Vineyard
Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique, separate vineyards located in the coolest area of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the sub-appellation known as the Green Valley. We have selected our favorite vineyards from our family’s Dutton Ranch to craft wine reflecting our vision of a signature Russian River Valley Chardonnay. Dutton Palms Vineyard is planted in the coolest part of the Green Valley in old clones, which contribute citrus and tropical notes, while Vine Hill Ridge Vineyard planted in Old Wente Clone creates floral aromas and provides a crisp, acidic structure.

The Winemaking
The fruit is gently pressed in whole clusters, settled for 24 hours and racked into barrels. Individual lots are barrel fermented using indigenous yeast. Undergoing malolactic fermentation, the lees are stirred twice monthly. The chardonnay is aged in French oak barrels chosen by our winemaker Mat Gustafson to emphasize the fruit and vineyard characteristics of the wine rather than show-casing the oak itself. We carefully blend our Dutton Ranch lot in late spring to allow the individual vineyard lots to marry and settle before bottling. The wine was bottled in late summer after approximately 10 months in barrel.

Tech Notes
2005 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay (sold out)