2018 DuMOL 'Charles Heintz Isobel' Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
Mercurial aromas and flavors seem to shift with each sip; floral notes turn exotic and fruit slips from vibrant to savory. Intense complexity is a hallmark of the Heintz vineyard, long prized for Chardonnay, and it’s on full display here. Stone fruits, oily citrus and preserved lemon build layer upon layer on a textured palate until it finally sails across the long finish.
Wine Advocate
Winemaker Andy Smith says that because of the very large crops and big clusters in 2018, there was some inevitable botrytis character in the 2018 Chardonnay Isobel Charles Heintz Vineyard. Although the nose is youthfully tight, the petrichor and flint aromas open to lemon drop and tropical hints, and the palate, which is tight, linear and bright, hints at more savory layers to come, finishing lifted and ethereal. This vintage has loads of personality and should be very long lived.