External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2021
2020
2019
2018
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.5 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 150 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by redz on 4/12/2022 & rated 91 points: Holding up well, nice berry nose, smooth palate. (1048 views) | | | Tasted by rinnocenzi on 12/29/2020 & rated 92 points: From a magnum for Christmas dinner with mussels and crab. Great bottle of wine. Drink up it can't get much better. (1528 views) | | | Tasted by NY Wino on 3/15/2020 & rated 90 points: Ruby color, full bodied with nose of tart berries. This wine has revolved but still seems a bit hot and slightly alcoholic. There is definitely still good fruit despite 13 years of aging, but the finish, while pleasant, isn’t memorable. (1651 views) | | | Tasted by rustyRudy on 7/3/2019 & rated 93 points: Drank with Lou and Kate after dinner. Balanced, smooth, mature, drinking well. (2159 views) | | | Tasted by UpfromtheCellar on 4/22/2019 & rated 91 points: I confess, I am a little surprised at giving this wine such a high rating. For years I have generally despised the over cooked, high alcohol, Coca Cola tinged, in your face C-noir style that many of the leading producers embraced in the early noughts (and some iike Meomi (excuse me while I barf) have continued to this day.....). There seemed to be a general feeling that if BIG was ok then BIGGER was better and EVEN BIGGER was what was called for to show everyone you could do it!! This wine clocks in at 14.7% (for a pinot?!) and is a stereo-typical example of the BIG is good and BIGGER is better philosophy. I dropped my mailing list subscriptions to Kosta Browne and Sea Smoke when I thought they went over the cliff (I know, I know, all you wait list people can write to thank me, lol) and I haven't looked back since. BUT, pulling one of these old bruisers from the cellar makes me want to reach out to Andy Smith and say well "well done". not because it's what you intended to create but what you have left us, perhaps in spite of your original intentions...... (sure sure, you knew it all the time.....) .
This wine has settled into a wonderful dark berry, deep, slightly savory place, with balance, finesse, and flavors that just go on and on. Its almost enough to make me want to renew my mailing list allocation for this winery (not really, in spite of a big NYC "Tasting" extravaganza they hosted a few months back) if only I could figure out who to contact; it use to be I received my "folksy" semi-annual allocation letter from Kerry Murphy and Michael Verlander then Andy started getting some billing and then it was ALL ANDY, and now its from the junior assistant wine relations and hospitality manager and the assistant director of corporate events. Hmmm. Any place that has that many layers means it has that many more layers of $$$$$ to pass along to its customers..... No thanks. I am happy harvesting my cellar and leaving the new stuff to the next generation of "informed" (i.e. more $$ = better wine. NOT) wine purchasers. (2028 views) | | | Tasted by brian przyzycki on 2/18/2019 & rated 91 points: UGHHHHH!!! This was so close to being a memorable bottle of wine. I feel for the wine maker and his/her pain. Great balance and everything a RRV pinot should be. Unfortunately, the bouquet and finish were just somewhat off. The margin of error is just so small. I enjoyed it and kudos/bravo to Dumol, but this isn't a classic 95+ wine. (1517 views) | | | Tasted by ginfizz on 4/6/2018 & rated 92 points: Delicious, fruit-filled, open, big. Enough restrained herbs to balance the fruit, medium finish. No complaints here... (1854 views) | | | Tasted by UpfromtheCellar on 11/23/2017 & rated 87 points: Tasted the 2007 and 2008 together. Cola. Flat cola. Both wines were remarkably similar in their flavor profiles and everyone agreed, flat cola. Dark, some savory, lots and lots of cola taste. All in all, disappointing for a winery that has the esteemed ANDY SMITH working for it.
I mean have you seen the recent promotional literature coming from the place now that ANDY SMITH has become a larger share holder? Whenever a winery starts to pay more attention to promoting/featuring the wine maker it usually spells bad things for the wines. ANDY SMITH walking wistfully in the vineyards. ANDY SMITH holding a bunch of grapes reverentially. ANDY SMITH staring out to the horizon with purposeful thoughts. ANDY SMITH in the cellar room. OK we get it: ANDY SMITH is a GREAT winemaker, regardless of how the wine actually tastes or ages. You don't see Littorai's Ted Lemon plastered all over the web site and promotional literature. He just keeps doing his thing, year after year after year. ANDY SMITH, please get back to making wines that don't age into cola statements. (1848 views) | | | Tasted by Bwalter17 on 5/14/2017 & rated 93 points: Bottle may have had some leakage due to heat damage based upon cork. Still a good wine though and aging nicely with room to continue aging. Deep red color, good though relatively simple nose with black cherry and mint notes. Balanced and smooth on palate. Delicious. Not very long on the finish. Will wait a year or two on my last bottle. (1877 views) | | | Tasted by Ccash on 2/26/2017 & rated 94 points: I love this wine. Delicious, full, not too fruity. (2085 views) | | | Tasted by pmarlo on 11/19/2016 & rated 95 points: This 2007 aged wonderfully. Didn't lose anything. My experience is that California pinot age better than critics give credit for, often making it to 10 years or more. Fruit was magnificent and 2007 vintage lived up to its reputation. Wonderfully balanced and nuanced now, even more so that tasting several years ago. Sorry it was my last. Recommended. (1908 views) | | | Tasted by Stumpy on 4/9/2016: Was really singing. (2228 views) | | | Tasted by UpfromtheCellar on 10/30/2015 & rated 89 points: Spice and savory, the fruit has left this balanced beauty. Very nice but not great at this point. Time to drink up! (2595 views) | | | Tasted by pmarlo on 9/26/2015 & rated 95 points: The last time I had this was in 2010 and I thought it was one of the better pinots I ever had. Five years later, I can stand once again behind that statement. The fruit was just perfect and succulent to the palate. When I first opened this bottle the bouquet was evident several feet away. The flavors seemed like either cherry or raspberry or a mixture of both, and were just potent. Tannins were just a tad present. This wine has improved since my 2010 tasting. Dumol pinots in strong vintages are some of the best to be had. Highly recommended and still at the appellation level one of the best pints I've ever had, and i said that back in 2010 (2296 views) | | | Tasted by signotim on 3/30/2015 & rated 89 points: I think this was better when it was young. The nose is showing pretty fruit and spice. The palate delivers more cherry fruit and baking spice, but offers only moderate acid and little freshness. At this stage, it's still nice but not special. (2841 views) | | | Tasted by bemeyer on 12/27/2014 & rated 89 points: Full berries and balanced, but no wow. Hopefully the remaing bottle will be better. Give it a year (2694 views) | | | Tasted by andrewdodd86 on 7/22/2014 & rated 94 points: WOTN and stole the show for me. Delicious. Great fruit. Well balanced. Disappeared twice as fast as everything else. Loved it. Need more. (2852 views) | | | Tasted by rustyRudy on 7/17/2014 & rated 92 points: Garnet. Consumed at busy pre family wedding get together, so no serious tasting notes.
Always just spot on ! More depth of fruit than the Bergstrom. (2551 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 7/5/2014 & rated 93 points: Delicious Pinot, with similar tasting notes to previous bottles. (2325 views) | | | Tasted by rustyRudy on 5/4/2014 & rated 91 points: Drinking well with good balance of fruit, minerals and a touch of spice. It was better and more complex the second day. Aging beautifully. (2330 views) | | | Tasted by Rick 4 Wine on 4/11/2014 & rated 93 points: Excellent wine. Great RRV archetype. (2265 views) | | | Tasted by Bob in NC on 3/14/2014 & rated 92 points: The “Aum” Pinot, oneness – has no beginning or end; the rich and succulent flavors are so melded together with a smooth seamless transition that you cannot distinguish any one flavor component. The silky tannic finish has an amazing and wonderful amalgamation of flavors that linger on, begging you to take another sip and try to put a finger on what those beautiful flavors you are tasting – but you can’t because the wine is just one. While this is our last bottle; this wine should drink beautifully for many more years. (1951 views) | | | Tasted by davidspieker on 1/11/2014 & rated 91 points: Muted aromas of dark cherry, cinnamon and tea. Lush coco and blackberry compote. Weighty body and lingering finish with quite a bit of heat. (2102 views) | | | Tasted by Wino from Michigan on 10/30/2013 & rated 91 points: This is good Pinot -- well balanced and on raspberry side (in good way). (2565 views) | | | Tasted by SEP on 10/5/2013 & rated 92 points: Excellent! (2425 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| DuMOL Producer Website; Founded in 1996, DuMOL is dedicated to crafting highly nuanced, vineyard-focused Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from distinctive sites in the cool-climate Russian River Valley. Winemaker, Viticulturist and Partner Andy Smith leads a small and experienced team at DuMOL, to craft wines of depth, clarity and elegance through attention to detail in the vineyards and vintage-specific winegrowing. DuMOL believes the best fertilizer is the footsteps of the farmer and is dedicated to a portfolio of estate and grower-partner vineyards primarily within a 10 mile radius. Expanding upon twenty-five years of experience, DuMOL also grows and produces small-lot Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, and Mencía from some of the finest vineyards in Sonoma and Napa. The full DuMOL portfolio is released through allocations to the mailing list, with select wines distributed to top restaurants worldwide.Pinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountyRussian River Valley Russian River Valley Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia |
|
