DuMol Chardonnay Carneros Clare 2012

95 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2012 Chardonnay Clare Hyde Vineyard is the most overt of the DuMol Chardonnays. Orange peel, wild flowers, mint and hints of tropical-infused fruit flesh out in a voluptuous, racy Chardonnay built on pure texture. Hints of almond, hazelnut and brioche add the final layers of nuance. Hyde is the first site DuMol harvests, and it is also the warmest. (Jan 2015)"

95 points Connoisseurs' Guide: "Intense, wonderfully concentrated and bursting with youthful vitality, this benchmark bottling sourced from the Hyde Vineyard hits all the right marks. It is long on deep, incisively focused fruit that is matched step for step by beautifully proportioned oak, and it has the impeccable structure and balance of a Chardonnay that is destined to improve for years. It is, in fact, a wine that is simply too young for drinking anytime soon, and we strongly urge those who are fortunate enough to find a bottle or two to exercise patience and set it aside for at least two or three years. It will not disappoint. (Jan 2015)"

All the fruit for the Clare bottling comes from the Hyde Vineyard, one of the most prestigious vineyards in the Carneros District. The average age of the vines is 15-22 years, and the grapes were aged on the lees for 13 months in 52% new French oak. This is focused, tight, and racy wine, showing herb-infused aromas of peach, nectarine, apple fruit, flint, toasted almond, and a mountain of complexity. Bone dry and dense, this displays flavors of wet stones, chamomile, quinine, and citrus notes. Really chiseled with quartz-like purity.