Maritana Vineyards Dutton Ranch Shop Block 1967 Chardonnay 2017
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James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
This Chardonnay is both delicate and concentrated, aromatic and pure, rich and refreshing focusing more on the floral/mineral end of the spectrum rather than the tropical fruit end of Chardonnay.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is an exotic chardonnay with lime, lemon and curd aromas. Medium to full body, dense center palate and a flavorful finish. Tangy and delicious. Needs time to open. Better in 2020.
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Wine Enthusiast
Anise, earth, white flower and honey combine on the nose and palate of this tightly structured white from a cooler section of the appellation. Gravenstein apple flavors present as lush and plush, cradled in toasted oak, yet there’s an acid backbone that’s undeniably fresh.
Other Vintages
2020-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.