Wines We’re Drinking

I do not drink Chardonnay all that often. I hardly ever buy it. But at dinner with friends recently, a bottle of DuMol (Russian River Valley) Chardonnay appeared, brought by a gentleman from his home cellar. He and his wife are DuMol Pre-Release Members and receive bottles on a regular basis, and they were eager to share it. (Several years ago I tasted DuMol’s pinot noir and liked it, but this Chardonnay was new to me.) It’s a six-vineyard blend, and I tasted orange blossom and a touch of pear; I liked its balance. (We paired it with a simple salmon steak.) Parker scored it a 92, for those of you who follow those numbers, and 4,360 cases of it were produced. You might want to become a DuMol member (click on the link above), or you can order here.