2021 DeLoach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Bright citrus, lemon zest, and peach on the nose. This full-bodied wine is rich and weighty, showing integrated acidity with flavors of Bartlett pear, lemon curd, white flowers, and baking spices on the palate.
In the Vineyard
Our Russian River Valley Chardonnay is predominantly harvested from the BCD Vineyard, the Norris Vineyard, and the Boriolo Vineyard. Each of these Russian River Valley Vineyards are certified Sonoma Sustainable and contribute their unique complexities to the final blend.
The BCD Vineyard, located adjacent to the DeLoach Estate on a very gentle south-facing slope, features heavy clay soils that decrease the vigor of the vines and is influenced by the Laguna de Santa Rosa. The Norris Vineyard is located in the Chalk Hill sub-appellation of the Russian River Valley and is planted to two clones of Chardonnay – 809 and 17. Clone 809 provides floral and other high-tone aromatics while the Clone 17 lends richer, riper fruit flavors. The Boriolo Vineyard is located on the Olivet Bench northeast of the winery. The vineyard’s sandy and clay loam soils produce fruit that is higher in acidity with more minerality, and offering fresh fruit flavors. Together, these vineyards produce the backbone of our Russian River Valley Chardonnay.
2021 Vintage
2021 was a smooth and uneventful harvest season. June started out warm, followed by a cool and foggy July and August that slowed ripening and caused nice retention of acidity. Even ripening, with no extreme heat events, made for ideal growing conditions. Sparse winter rains resulted in an early budbreak, evenly developed clusters, and smaller berries packed full of flavor. Overall, the fruit was exceptional, making it another amazing year for quality.
Specs
Appellation: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.22
TA: 5.1 g/L
Aging: 100% French oak, 10% new
Months in Barrel: 14
2020 DeLoach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
On the nose, this wine reveals nectarine and ripe pear aromas. The palate is endowed with integrated oak structure, hints of vanilla cream, lemon zest, and baked apples. Building momentum across the mid-palate, this wine is formative with lingering flavors of spice and crème brûlée. The finish has refreshing and persistent acidity that is well-balanced.
In the Vineyard
Our Russian River Valley Chardonnay is predominantly harvested from the BCD Vineyard, the Norris Vineyard, and the Boriolo Vineyard. Each of these Russian River Valley Vineyards are certified Sonoma Sustainable and contribute their unique complexities to the final blend.
The BCD Vineyard, located adjacent to the DeLoach Estate on a very gentle south-facing slope, features heavy clay soils that decrease the vigor of the vines and are influenced by the Laguna de Santa Rosa. The Norris Vineyard is located in the Chalk Hill sub-appellation of the Russian River Valley and is planted to two clones of Chardonnay – 809 and 17. Clone 809 provides floral and other high-tone aromatics, while the Clone 17 lends richer, riper fruit flavors. The Boriolo Vineyard is located on the Olivet Bench northeast of the winery. The vineyard’s sandy and clay loam soils produce fruit that is higher in acidity with more minerality, and offering fresh fruit flavors. Together, these vineyards produce the backbone of our Russian River Valley Chardonnay.
2020 Vintage
2020 kicked off with ideal growing conditions. Mild temperatures led to evenly developed clusters, and an early budbreak was followed by a warm to hot summer. Low winter rains resulted in smaller berries with concentrated flavors. Harvest started in early August, and all things pointed to normal yields and exceptional fruit quality.
Specs
Appellation: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.42
TA: 5.6 g/L
Aging: 100% French oak, 10% new
Months in Barrel: 14
What’s Included
4-bottles:
2x 2021 DeLoach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
2x 2020 DeLoach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County Vineyard Case:
6x 2020 DeLoach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
6x 2021 DeLoach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Celebrating 50 Years of Heritage, DeLoach Vineyards is a pioneering producer and winegrower of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel in the Russian River Valley.
DeLoach Pinot Noir grape growing began in the Russian River Valley in 1971, with the first vintage debuting in 1975. But long before the DeLoach family moved north from San Francisco, the Russians and Spanish were here planting the first grapes in 1836, then Italians, who planted the first vitis vinifera vines in the area.
Winery founders Cecil and Christine DeLoach were drawn to a small area of the Russian River Valley, between Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, where agricultural miracles seem to occur regularly. Cecil researched the area and discovered that the Italians had selected the particular area because it was possible to “dry farm” — that is, to farm without irrigation — due to the rare combination of soils and climate. The semi-permeable soils allow good drainage yet retain enough moisture throughout the year to nourish the vines. In general, the valley climate allows for at least 115 days without rain, which inhibits disease and promotes good grape development.
In 2003, the Boisset family brought two generations of sustainable winemaking experience from Burgundy, France, to DeLoach. The Boisset’s knew that the site was spectacular, which has consistently produced award-winning wines from the estate. Most notably, the DeLoach Vineyards 30th Anniversary Cuvée Pinot Noir received Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 2004 Wine of the Year.
Blending Burgundian tradition with American innovation, we have spent five decades experimenting with and perfecting the ideal combinations of soil, rootstock, clones, and barrel aging. Our deeply expressive wines reflect authenticity by honoring the region’s diversity through both our estate vineyard and grower partners.
I am delighted to review this latest Casemates deal. DeLoach wines stir up some fond memories from the 80’s (yes, I’m dating myself!) when I started exploring wines in depth (which at that time meant anything up from white Zinfandel and other “value priced” wines!)
I recall dining at a customer’s favorite restaurant. A couple of DeLoach offerings were on the wine list – Chardonnay being one of them. I don’t recall what collection or vineyard it came from back then, but it was certainly better than the “other” insanely popular chardonnay that was dominating the palates at the time.
Probably due to the over-saturation of chardonnay in the past, I grew weary of the buttery and overly oaked offerings, and pursued other whites, and then heavy into the reds. But the French came to my rescue with their white Burgandy, and I have a new appreciation for the varietal.
But on to the subject at hand –
2021 DeLoach Russian River Chardonnay
Color:
It’s a pale straw tone, more legs than I expected. A second look at the bottle confirms – 14.5% ABV, higher than most whites I know.
On the nose: some fruit – apple, pear, a little lemon – flint, and some other mineral I can’t distinguish, a whiff of butter. Very pleasant and inviting.
Palate: this is where it gets interesting! At first taste it dismisses the pale color and subtle aromas and comes on surprisingly…. robust? In a good way. There is not the alcohol heat one might expect at the ABV listed. There’s a bit of butter, a little oak, and the apple/pear blend is evident. A pleasant acidic presence says this can handle some creamy, butter-based pasta sauces. This is a complex, yet well-balanced wine, that would pair well with a variety of dishes.
Finish: longer than I expected. The apple/pear/lemon dance lingers on the tongue, with a nice, rounded mouthfeel.
Food pairing: The DW prepared a pasta dish with pan seared chicken in olive oil, butter, white wine, onion, garlic, and sundried tomato. It was a perfect match!
This offering will certainly court those “Never again, Chardonnay!” drinkers out there!
I was lucky enough to have been selected as a lab rat once again, and today I have the privilege of tasting the De Loach Vineyards 2020 Russian River Valley Chardonnay.
This wine shows a pretty light straw color, and is crystal clear.
The aroma in the glass is… well, I’m a little stuffed up today. That’s probably why I’m not getting too much aroma off the wine here. It’s barely there for me, so unfortunately I cannot offer much here.
Even with the stuffiness, though, I get a lot more when I taste it. I usually don’t try to go “professional” with my notes, as I never seem to pick up on the same notes as actual professional tasters. Or even a lot of other amateurs. But today I honestly want to say I get some melon notes here. No, not melon, maybe apricot? Maybe honeysuckle, also? Well, as I got to post this review, and now read the winery provided notes, maybe not. They say “vanilla cream, lemon zest, and baked apples.” … well, I’ll never be a professional, here.
It’s got good mouthfeel, not buttery but a little rich, perhaps I think with some malolactic fermentation giving it a little creaminess. I would not call this “buttery” though, unlike some Chardonnay wines. But it’s not as crisp as an unoaked Chardonnay would be. There’s plenty of acidity present, just not a crisp feel.
Oh, after a while, I think I am getting a bit of herbs in the nose. Maybe some fruit, too, but my schnoz is still not doing well.
And as to my tasting notes above, some dried apricots along with the wine is not a bad pairing. Although when I taste an actual apricot along with the wine, I’ll say even my poor palate can tell it’s definitely not apricot in the wine after all.
I am, uh, not as enthusiastic as Kraxberger above… don’t get me wrong, it’s a good Chardonnay, but I would say on the simpler side. Overall I like it, and I’ll say the price is a good buy. It’s not heavy on creaminess, nor on the oak, and does seem well balanced.
As always, thank you Terry, and Casemates for the opportunity to be a lab rat! I hope this review helps!
2021 DeLoach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
In the Vineyard
2021 Vintage
Specs
2020 DeLoach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
In the Vineyard
2020 Vintage
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $300/case MSRP
About The Winery
50 Years of DeLoach Vineyards
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 5 - Thursday, Jan 8
DeLoach Vineyards Chardonnay
4 bottles for $59.99 $15/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $129.99 $10.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2020 DeLoach Vineyards Chardonnay
2021 DeLoach Vineyards Chardonnay
2021 De Loach Chardonnay
I am delighted to review this latest Casemates deal. DeLoach wines stir up some fond memories from the 80’s (yes, I’m dating myself!) when I started exploring wines in depth (which at that time meant anything up from white Zinfandel and other “value priced” wines!)
I recall dining at a customer’s favorite restaurant. A couple of DeLoach offerings were on the wine list – Chardonnay being one of them. I don’t recall what collection or vineyard it came from back then, but it was certainly better than the “other” insanely popular chardonnay that was dominating the palates at the time.
Probably due to the over-saturation of chardonnay in the past, I grew weary of the buttery and overly oaked offerings, and pursued other whites, and then heavy into the reds. But the French came to my rescue with their white Burgandy, and I have a new appreciation for the varietal.
But on to the subject at hand –
2021 DeLoach Russian River Chardonnay
Color:
It’s a pale straw tone, more legs than I expected. A second look at the bottle confirms – 14.5% ABV, higher than most whites I know.
On the nose: some fruit – apple, pear, a little lemon – flint, and some other mineral I can’t distinguish, a whiff of butter. Very pleasant and inviting.
Palate: this is where it gets interesting! At first taste it dismisses the pale color and subtle aromas and comes on surprisingly…. robust? In a good way. There is not the alcohol heat one might expect at the ABV listed. There’s a bit of butter, a little oak, and the apple/pear blend is evident. A pleasant acidic presence says this can handle some creamy, butter-based pasta sauces. This is a complex, yet well-balanced wine, that would pair well with a variety of dishes.
Finish: longer than I expected. The apple/pear/lemon dance lingers on the tongue, with a nice, rounded mouthfeel.
Food pairing: The DW prepared a pasta dish with pan seared chicken in olive oil, butter, white wine, onion, garlic, and sundried tomato. It was a perfect match!
This offering will certainly court those “Never again, Chardonnay!” drinkers out there!
Cheers!!
2020 DeLoach Vineyards Chardonnay
Hello hello, 'mates!
I was lucky enough to have been selected as a lab rat once again, and today I have the privilege of tasting the De Loach Vineyards 2020 Russian River Valley Chardonnay.
This wine shows a pretty light straw color, and is crystal clear.
The aroma in the glass is… well, I’m a little stuffed up today. That’s probably why I’m not getting too much aroma off the wine here. It’s barely there for me, so unfortunately I cannot offer much here.
Even with the stuffiness, though, I get a lot more when I taste it. I usually don’t try to go “professional” with my notes, as I never seem to pick up on the same notes as actual professional tasters. Or even a lot of other amateurs. But today I honestly want to say I get some melon notes here. No, not melon, maybe apricot? Maybe honeysuckle, also? Well, as I got to post this review, and now read the winery provided notes, maybe not. They say “vanilla cream, lemon zest, and baked apples.” … well, I’ll never be a professional, here.
It’s got good mouthfeel, not buttery but a little rich, perhaps I think with some malolactic fermentation giving it a little creaminess. I would not call this “buttery” though, unlike some Chardonnay wines. But it’s not as crisp as an unoaked Chardonnay would be. There’s plenty of acidity present, just not a crisp feel.
Oh, after a while, I think I am getting a bit of herbs in the nose. Maybe some fruit, too, but my schnoz is still not doing well.
And as to my tasting notes above, some dried apricots along with the wine is not a bad pairing. Although when I taste an actual apricot along with the wine, I’ll say even my poor palate can tell it’s definitely not apricot in the wine after all.
I am, uh, not as enthusiastic as Kraxberger above… don’t get me wrong, it’s a good Chardonnay, but I would say on the simpler side. Overall I like it, and I’ll say the price is a good buy. It’s not heavy on creaminess, nor on the oak, and does seem well balanced.
As always, thank you Terry, and Casemates for the opportunity to be a lab rat! I hope this review helps!