Dutton-Goldfield’s Single Vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir 2021 Vintage Releases
Steve Dutton and Dan Goldfield began their winemaking collaboration in 1998 and have never looked back. Steve grew up in the Dutton family vineyard in the Russian River Valley; today he farms more than one thousand acres of vines, mostly in Green Valley in western Sonoma County. Dan is from the East Coast and came to UC Berkeley to do chemistry research but soon enrolled at UC Davis, earned an M.S. in Enology and then began making wine at Schramsberg, La Crema and Hartford Court before beginning his venture with Dan 25 years ago. The duo have had spectacular success, growing some of California’s best grapes and crafting some of its best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. We’ve been visiting the winery and tasting the wines for over a decade, and we’re constantly impressed with the consistency of quality despite variations in weather, except for the 2020 vintage when smoke from the late September Glass Fire caused the winery to cancel much of its red grape harvest.
However, now the 2021 vintage Pinots are here and, after the disastrous, smoky 2020 vintage, Sonoma County producers are excited about the quality of the 2021 wines they’ve been releasing. Although 2021 was one of the driest on record, the weather was temperate without dramatic heat spikes. Weatherwise, it was an outstanding vintage, and the Dutton Goldfield wines reflect it. Our reviews follow.
The Wines
Dutton Goldfield 2021 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Walker Hill Vineyard Green Valley of Russian River Valley ($55) 93 Opens with a fine bouquet of citrus, but what I like most about this Chardonnay is its balance. The fruit is ripe and juicy with bright acidity. It’s full in the mouth but not at all ponderous. There’s smoky oak, but it’s integrated and seemingly lies below the fruit. All in all, a gorgeous Sonoma Chardonnay. Sourced from old Wente vines planted in the 1980s on Goldridge soils, partly fermented with native yeast, full malo and stirred lees, and matured 18 months in 50% new Seguin Moreau and Taransaud barrels.
Dutton Goldfield 2021 Chardonnay Devil’s Gulch Vineyard Marin County ($60) 94 Medium yellow straw. Opens with a perfumed, floral bouquet with light citrus and toasty oak notes. This wine has a lovely, pure focus and excellent intensity of flavor with seamless integration of oak and lively acidity. A luscious, invigorating wine of superb balance and layered flavors of orchard and stone fruit. Very well made with a long, focused finish. Sourced from Mark Pasternak’s Western Marin hillside vineyard where the harsh climate produces low yields and tiny berries. Fermented and aged in 67% stainless steel and 33% neutral oak; the naked portion went through malo. pH 3.34, 13.3% alc.
Dutton Goldfield 2021 Chardonnay Rued Vineyard Green Valley of Russian River Valley ($60) 93 Light yellow straw. A rich, stony cool climate wine, this Chardonnay evokes minerals and white fleshed fruit. It’s stony on the attack with bright acidity and flavors of cherimoya, apple, and a hint of stone fruit, finishing firm and fresh. Superb integration of oak–it’s difficult to believe it sees 18 months in 44% new French oak. Sourced from a dry farmed, east facing hillside vineyard planted by Warren Dutton in 1969 to Old Wente selection and a musqué selection now called the Rued Clone. Barrel fermented with full malo. pH 3.24, 13.9% alc.
Dutton Goldfield 2021 Pinot Noir Deviate Sonoma Coast ($78) 95 This Dutton Goldfield vineyard blend has always been one of our favorites as it integrates fruit sourced from both ends of the far west Sonoma Coast, and the 2021 vintage is exceptionally good. It reveals intricate aromas of dark cherry, pomegranate and a dark earth note. It’s silky on the attack and richly flavored on a voluptuous palate. Youthful when released with fairly dry tannins, but give this wine a few months in bottle, and experience shows the tannins will integrate and the flavors become even more expressive. A blend of grapes from two vineyards at opposite ends of the appellation. The Jentoft Vineyard is in Green Valley, and the Putnam Vineyard is in Annapolis. Aged 17 months in 40% new French oak. pH 3.59, 14.1% alc.
Dutton Goldfield 2021 Pinot Noir Docker Hill Vineyard Mendocino County ($78) 93 The Docker Hill Pinot is red fruited and elegant. It shows red cherry with rose petal and underbrush notes on the nose and is soft on entry. The mouthfeel is silky, and the flavors reveal integrated cherry and berry fruit with a hint of cedar. Long, pure finish. Docker Hill is located southeast of the town of Mendocino at 1000? elevation. Aged 17 months in 45% new French oak. pH 3.50, 14.1% alc.
Dutton Goldfield 2021 Pinot Noir Emerald Ridge Vineyard Green Valley of Russian River Valley ($74) 94 The Emerald Ridge Pinot Noir tantalizes from the first whiff to the final, lingering aftertaste. It offers effusive scents of fresh dark red fruit with light savory notes, and deep, earth-accented fruit flavors on a thickly textured palate. A great Pinot for grilled lamb chops. Planted in 2001 on an east facing knoll in the middle of Green Valley; aged 17 months in 50% new French oak. pH 3.58, 14.1% alc.
Dutton Goldfield 2021 Pinot Noir Fox Den Vineyard Green Valley of Russian River Valley ($74) 94 The Fox Den Pinot has lifted floral aromas of crimson roses and dark cherry fruit. It’s a young wine but shows great promise with a mouth filling, complex and refined palate with rich breadth and silky texture. Exceptionally persistent on the finish. Fox Den was planted to 667, 777, and 115 in 2002 on top of Stoetz Ridge above the town of Occidental. It has very sandy soil and has the highest natural acidity of all the DG Pinots. Aged 18 months in 55% new French oak. pH 3.59, 14.1% alc.
Dutton Goldfield 2021 Pinot Noir McDougall Vineyard Fort Ross – Seaview ($78) 94 The McDougall Vineyard Pinot opens with lively scents of dark berry and black cherry with underbrush notes that are mirrored on a layered palate. The texture is suave and elegant with very rich extract on a long finish. The McDougall vineyard was planted in 1998 at 1100? elevation overlooking the Pacific Ocean; the fruit has very thick skins. Matured 18 months in 50% new French oak. pH 3.64, 14.1% alc.
Dutton Goldfield 2021 Pinot Noir Stubbs Vineyard Petaluma Gap ($74) 93 Super fresh and beautifully concentrated with bright dark cherry married to black raspberry and a hint of spice, this is a lush, silky wine packed with fruit. With suave tannins, it’s ready to drink now, and why would anyone wait? Tom and Mary Stubbs planted this vineyard in 1996 in Petaluma Gap’s Hick Valley. Matured 17 months in 40% new French oak from several coopers and seamlessly integrated with the fruit. A gorgeous wine, but pair it with something that can handle the fruit, perhaps flank steak with a dried chile, lime and soy marinade. pH 3.62 14.1% alc.
