DuMol Chardonnay Russian River Valley Ritchie Vineyard Chloe 2017

95-96 points PinotFile: “14.3% alc., 724 cases.. As regular readers know, I consider Ritchie Vineyard California’s top Chardonnay source. Long-time DuMOL winemaker, Andy Smith, has been crafting Old Wente Chardonnay from this vineyard for seventeen years. Vines were 45 years of age in this vintage. Barrel aged 12 months in 33% new French oak followed by 6 months of settling in tank. This is typically a lower-acid Chardonnay with rich, California sun-blessed fruit. An opulent Chardonnay offering waves of succulent stone fruits and citrus offering an unctuous drinking experience. That said, the wine is not overblown and has good focus and finishing citric drive. I happen to relish this style of Chardonnay and have drank many bottles of this wine over the years. (2/10/20)”

95 points Jeb Dunnuck: “Lemon curd, chamomile, orange blossom, and a touch of tropical fruit emerge from the 2017 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Chloe, an exotic, full-bodied effort that offers a singular character. Upfront and with a big, mouthfilling texture, it shows a terrific sense of salinity and minerality on the finish and shows a more Burgundian side to this Grand Cru site. Drink: 2020-2032. (6/14/19)”

93-95 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): “The 2017 Chardonnay Chloe Ritchie Vineyard is another super-impressive wine in this range. Creamy and voluptuous in the glass, with lifted aromatics, the 2017 has so much to offer. Today, it is remarkably complete for such a young wine. Yellow orchard fruit and lifted floral notes add shades of nuance. The wine’s total sense of poise is remarkable. (May 2019)”

Producer notes: “The wine shows aromas of orange blossom, mixed stone fruits and honeysuckle. Thyme leaf, wet stone and almond paste notes lend complexity. The palate is immediately broad and mouth-filling with tangerine oil and orange sherbet flavors. The wine’s center is rich in extract—deep and almost chewy. It finishes with mineral signatures and a lingering citrus zest note. Ritchie is typically our lowest-acidity Chardonnay each vintage, so it’s the designate to open and drink first. While I expect the wine to improve in bottle for 4–6 years, I think its greatest charm is found in its fruit-driven power and density. Drink between late 2019 and 2023.”