2021 Domaine Anderson Dach Vineyard Chardonnay
The region’s cool, temperate climate of warm days and fog-cooled nights led Jean-Claude Rouzaud, patriarch of the Louis Roederer family, to this outlying region in 1981 to begin cultivation of premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Winemaking is under the guidance of Darrin Low who grew up in California wine country and developed a fascination for winemaking at an early age. He studied Enology and Viticulture at UC Santa Cruz and studied abroad at l‘Institut d’OEnologie in Bordeaux, France.
Dach Vineyard is in the Anderson Valley AVA and consists of 17.5 acres of vineyards, certified organic and biodynamic, surrounding the winery. Given the cool coastal climate it has ideal conditions for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Thirty additional acres of the vineyard are dedicated to native wildlife. The vineyard was certified organic in 2014 and Demeter Certified Biodynamic in 2016.
In the glass, the wine gleams with a pale yellow hue, edged with hints of green. The bouquet is a harmonious symphony of citrus and stone fruits with whispers of chalky minerality. Chablis cru-like in personality this wine unravels with subtle accents of honeysuckle, juicy white peach, lemon verbena and quince underscored with finely, chiseled stones and oyster shells. The wine has vibrant acidity and ample tension that enliven the senses as it crosses the palate enhancing its crystalline energy. The finish is graceful and elegant.
By W Peter Hoyne