Wine Last Sold on: February 6, 2013
Dunstan Wines
Featured Wine:
2008 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay
| Varietal: | Chardonnay |
| Region: | California: Sonoma Coast |
| Availability: | Final Allocation |
| Avg. Price: | $40.00 |
| Wine Spies: | $24.99 |
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SUPERIOR WINE ALERT:
We only showcase wines that we love. While our emphasis is on quality first, every now and again we come across a real standout wine that rises above. When we do, we issue alerts like this one.
SUPER QPR ALERT:
At today’s special Wine Spies price, this wine delivers tremendous value - and a drinking experience that exceeds expectations, easily earning it this special QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) Alert.
Mission Codename: Built to last
- Operative
- Agent Red
- Objective
- Send Agent Red to Dunstan Wines, whose unique Durell Vineyard is known for producing age-worthy Chardonnay of remarkable distinction and quality. Taste their Chardonnay and procure an ample allotment if the wine is exceptional.
- Mission Status
- Accomplished!
- Winemaker
- Kenneth Juhasz
Final Assessment
Today’s Dunstan Wine 2008 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay is remarkable in a few respects. First and foremost, it is drinking just beautifully, exhibiting no sign of being past its prime. In fact, we feel that this delicious wine is really at its peak. Second, the Durell Vineyard is unique in that it spans three separate and overlapping appellations: The Sonoma Coast AVA, the Sonoma Valley AVA and a small corner of Carneros. The wine shows wonderful influence from each of these Chardonnay-growing sub-regions.
This wine is aromatic, flavorful and silky on the palate, this expressive wine is pleasing to all of the senses. Drinking beautifully, right now, we’ll be drinking most of ours into the Springtime - but we’ll also lay a few bottles down to see how it progresses. We Wine Spies love to find Chardonnay that has aging potential.
Serve well-chilled and pair with a dried cheese plate, or sliced apple and a crostini. A salad with cranberry, walnut, pear and goat cheese would also be lovely. If you are looking for a more hearty pairing, we would suggest a risotto with shrimp.
Tasting Profile
This wine has a bright golden hues with a thick and silky quality that causes the wine to cling to the glass. Chubby legs take a long time to form, before they move slowly down the glass.
Sweet aromas of honeydew, caramel apple, buttered popcorn, butterscotch, and tart green apple take the lead. Citrus rind, toasty oak, chestnut and subtle mineral follow behind.
More tart than the sweet nose would suggest, with flavors of honeydew melon, citrus rind, ripe green apple. Nutty and savory flavors of toasted oak, almond and chestnut follow on.
Silky, clean, austere and nutty on the finish with hints of citrus and apple that tail off before the savory flavors do.
What the Winery Says
Tasting Notes
A rich and elegant style of Chardonnay, our 2008 vintage is full of tropical fruits and creamy Meyer lemon while preserving signature Durell Vineyard minerality of crushed stone. 100% Wente Clone Chardonnay sourced from the Ranch House Block at the Durell Vineyard.
Wine Specs
Varietal: Chardonnay
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
TA: 0.76 g/100ml
pH: 3.65
Alcohol: 14.4
Cases: 285
About the Winery
You’ve seen a horseshoe hanging above a doorway—a symbol of protection and luck.
According to 10th century legend, a blacksmith named Dunstan was visited by the Devil to have his shoes reset. While fitting the shoes, Dunstan quicked the Devil who implored for the shoe to be removed. Dunstan agreed, but only after the Devil promised never to enter a dwelling with a horseshoe hanging above the door.
When we were first planting the Ranch House Block at Durell, a very large horseshoe was unearthed. Rusted and obviously very old, it served as the inspiration for the name of our new wine.
Ellie Phipps Price purchased the Durell Vineyard in 1998 from Ed Durell. Durell, a San Francisco food broker, acquired the land in 1977 with the intent of turning it into a cattle ranch, but began planting grapes instead.
After hiring vineyard manager Steve Hill, the pair focused exclusively on growing premium wine grapes, which they began selling to Sonoma County wineries in 1982.
Today there are over 20 top-tier wineries producing Durell Vineyard designate wines including Chasseur, Chateau St. Jean, Kistler, and Auteur.
