DuMOL 2023 Chloe Chardonnay Russian River Valley 96 Points

Winemaker Notes: “The 24th vintage of Chloe is a wine led by forward fruit richness rather than coastal structure. The character of the fruit is more reminiscent of ripe apricot and peach than leaner citrus, and the wine’s texture is broad, generous, and mouth-filling. You might open and enjoy this before our acid-driven coastal Chardonnays. The vineyard blend combines the orange marmalade fruit richness of Flora Marie Vineyard in the warmer central Russian River hills with vines from the top of our Bressay Estate that give deep oily texture and waxy honeyed fruit richness. The wine can be opened and enjoyed on release, but will age positively in the bottle for seven years. This is one of the great recent vintages for Chloe.

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points: “The 2023 Chardonnay Chloe is from the Flora Marrie Vineyard on Eastside Road, on volcanic red clay, gravelly soils on a plateau bench, and the rest is from behind the vineyard house on clay and sand. One of the richer wines in the range, it’s ripe but also savory on the nose, with golden peach, toasted incense, hints of toasted spice, and savory underpinnings. The palate is full and has some added depth of structure, with elegant length.”

Vinous 96 Points: “The 2023 Chardonnay Chloe is a blend of fruit from Flora Marie and Bressay. It presents a distinctly tropical fruit profile to match its textured, opulent personality. There’s plenty of brightness and acid to play off its more overt qualities. Readers who like richer wines (within this context) will find much to admire. Peach, apricot, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes extend the finish.“