98+ Points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Chardonnay Isobel Charles Heintz Vineyard is the 20th bottling of a Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay at DuMOL. It was harvested September 25-27, matured in larger barrels, and finished with six months in stainless steel. “There are very few better vintages of this,” winemaker Andy Smith exclaims during our tasting, and I have to agree. It’s bursting with scents of matchstick, chamomile, Greek yogurt, and white peach, and over time, it unfurls unique spicy, herbal undertones. The palate is intensely concentrated, boasting expansive, dynamic flavors that segue from stone fruit to honey. Satiny and seamless, it has a tremendously long finish with a mind-altering depth of flavor. Fans of Burgundy will love it for its flinty tones, and fans of California for its concentration and power.
98 Points Wine Independent by Lisa Perotti-Brown (formar Editor and Cheif at Wine Advocate)
The 2021 Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard Isobel is aged in 350-500 liter low-toast barrels, 25% of them new. After a swirl or two, notes of fresh nectarines, mandarin peel, and grapefruit emerge, leading to touches of honeysuckle, marzipan, and baking bread. The medium-bodied palate delivers electric-charged stone fruit and citrus flavors with a racy backbone and satiny texture, finishing long and zesty. The vineyard was planted in 1982, and this is DuMOL’s 20th vintage from here.
97 Points James Suckling
Intense aromas of dried fruits such as lemons and peaches with lemongrass and botanicals. Flinty. Full and intense with dried pineapple and creamy yet firm textured phenolics. Lots of solid character here. Extremely flavorful with salted caramel. Hints of oiliness with bright acidity. Fantastic. This is one of the best I have had from here. Drink or hold.
Winemaker Notes
This is our twentieth vintage bottling Heintz and one of the elite vintages for quality and character. We’ve crafted so many memorable wines from these magical vines since I first set foot in the vineyard way back in 1998. The wines are incredibly distinctive, unlike anything else in Sonoma or California as a whole, and that’s down to the special vineyard site itself. High elevation, close to the ocean, long lingering fog influence, late-season ripening, and precise farming combine to give the fruit striking intensity and style. Classic Heintz aromas that are simultaneously exotic and focused: ginger and honey; lemongrass and sweet mint; chamomile and sea spray. Intense lemon and lime oil dominate the flavors with green apples and taut minerals. The texture is deep and layered with tremendous volume and fruit extract. The wine’s vibrant acidity lifts this richness adding tension and freshness. Long echo of savory botanical intensity and lingering flinty edge.
