Freddy R. Troya

9.2

The Calling “Dutton Ranch” Chardonnay 2023
Russian River Valley AVA, Sonoma County, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A very expressive and generously styled Chardonnay sourced from the legendary Dutton Ranch vineyards, one of Sonoma’s most respected grower sites. The Calling crafts this bottling with a fruit-driven and naturally energetic personality, allowing the vineyard character to shine through without excessive winemaking manipulation. A Russian River Chardonnay that leans vibrant and mouthwatering rather than overly buttery or heavy.

Aromas & Flavors
Juicy tangerine, lemon curd, Honeycrisp apple, and ripe pear immediately jump from the glass. As the wine opens, layers of lemon verbena, ginger, citrus zest, jasmine, and subtle green tea nuances begin to unfold, adding complexity and freshness to the profile.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with a rounded yet energetic texture. Bright acidity keeps the wine lively and refreshing while the fruit concentration gives it a generous California richness. The finish is persistent, citrus-driven, and beautifully mouthwatering.

Food Pairings
Excellent with roasted chicken, buttery seafood dishes, crab cakes, grilled salmon, creamy risotto, or triple cream cheeses.

Verdict
A compelling Russian River Chardonnay that balances generosity and freshness extremely well. The Dutton Ranch fruit gives this wine a very polished and expressive character while still maintaining tension and precision. Rich enough for California Chardonnay lovers, yet vibrant enough to remain highly approachable.

Did You Know?
Dutton Ranch is one of Sonoma’s most iconic multigenerational vineyard sources, supplying grapes to numerous top-tier California producers. Their cool-climate Russian River fruit is especially prized for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thanks to the region’s fog influence and long growing season.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is the type of Chardonnay that reminds you why Russian River Valley became world famous for the style in the first place. Expressive, mouthwatering, and dangerously easy to revisit glass after glass. Cheers! — a month ago

Dave

9.3

Found it! This is a light-handed Zin, and very delicious. Thanks for the recommendation! @Doug Powers @Anthony De Blasi
Listening to a little Depeche Mode!! — a month ago

Jenn

9.2

Very nice and truly enjoyed. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.8

Tasted blind. Medium deep garnet ruby and medium garnet ruby rim . Quite cool and restrained , again lots of grafite and mineral , dark fruits . This is quite deep and dark spicy cassis , blackberry and sea spray , saline . Quite dense and robust on the palate again , lots of fine but ripe tannins. Very long , dense , cassis , cedar grafite saline finish . This is a complete and great example of 2005 , great balance and enormous length , the longest of all on show here. Drinkable now , but surely it’s best days are in the future , wait another 5 -10 years , will last well a further 20 - 25 if not more . The apex of 2005 ? For me this had to be the Latour , and an archetypal example of Latour no less . 1st place and the gold medal . — 2 months ago

romo

9.2

A bit of the old house style, not as focused as the recent 2013. Still a reference in balance for CA. — 3 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Still youthful showing red & black fruits, cedar, leather, graphite, spice & tobacco — 4 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Deep purple in color with a wide purplish rim.

Strong nose of red and purple fruits with light wood, spices, chocolates, herbs, black pepper and light earth.

Dry on the palate with sweet cherries, blueberries, black currants, light oak, chocolates, earth, spices, black pepper, tobacco leaf and dark coffee.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Single Vineyard Zinfandel from Alexander Valley in California. Fruit forward and elegant. Rich and nicely balanced, complex and entertaining. Alcohol is nicely integrated by now.

Easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

A blend of 88% Zinfandel and 12% Petite Sirah, from old vines. Aged in (10% new) French Oak barrels for 15 months.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$55. — 20 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

This was showing beautifully with good richness, balance, red & black fruits, earth, spice box, cedar, leather & tobacco notes — 5 days ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.2

This was great but not same level as prior bottles. Perhaps a slightly off cork ? Medium dark rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, top soil and balsam with hints of cedar. Ever so slightly reticent tannins but overall great length and good complexity. Great now, but no rush. — 2 months ago

with Jose, veronique and 4 others

Ron Siegel

9.3

More of a suave & polished version of LB that is showing well at 38 yrs. Notes of red & black fruits, spice box, earth, cedar, floral, leather & tobacco — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Slight younger looking , a little more ruby both in the core but still mostly garnet rim.
This is high toned slightly redder fruit , less dense than the preceding 3 . Cherry , red plum , cedar, seaspray . On the palate this is again quite elegant and refined , cherry , red plum some cassis , red plum , cigar box . Not overly weighty with perhaps a little less noticeable tannin than some of the others . Long vibrant , spicy grafite tinged finish . Very elegant , reserved and I suppose very Lafite , this grows during the experience but was actually voted in last place by the group , that somehow doesn’t surprise me, at the end of the day one wine did have to come last, and this was relatively discreet only showing its real breeding and class with time in the glass. Needs time , but is very promising , probably another 5-10 years (as with almost all the others ) , will last well a further 20 if not more . The elegance and style of this wine is fantastic , this really grows in the glass . Had to be Lafite for me . Bronze medal here . — 2 months ago

Bob Boyle

9.3

Perfectly balanced, no browning on the edges, long finish — 4 months ago

Ed Chin

9.3

Big polished and showing a hint of heat. Happily the oak isn’t too pronounced. For me this baby needs time. — 5 days ago

Paul J

9.2

PnP. Lovely dark purple color. A little hot on the nose with stewed cherries, rhubarb, and licorice. Same on the palate minus the OH. Good texture yet flavor fades some. Solid wine for the price. — 20 days ago

with Brooke

Tom Garland

9.5

+1 hour decant(lots of fine/cloudy sediment). A splendid still inky dark garnet with bricking. On the nose: expressive notes of dark red fruit, currants, smoked meat, tobacco leaf, scorched earth, nutmeg. Taste: silky, layered, rich wine with ripe blackberry/blueberry, earth, baking spice, chocolate, and a long minerally espresso never-ending finish. YUM!! — 2 months ago

with Brenda

Daniel Akers

9.3

Like a fine burgundy, delicious — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Tasted blind . Slightly more mature colour than 1 . Ruby with some garnet and a more garnet tinged rim . Cooler more mineral on the nose , touches of grafite and wet rocks , sea spray , with some dark spicy cassis . On the palate this is more dark cassis , spicy grafite , cedar , touch of iron filings . Good roundness on the palate , with dusty tannins and balanced acidity, intense and saline . Long cedar tinged grafite length . Quite intense and stlight sterner overall , a little more aloof , more Cabernet , darker in style. Better in 5-10 years and will last well a further 10-20. Had this as Margaux . My 5th placed wine . — 2 months ago

Gregg Siegal

9.2

A gift from a friend, this is lovely, with a bit of tobacco on the nose and lively cherry and strawberry flavors on the palate. The finish goes on and on. — 2 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Youthful, structured with red & black fruits, currant, cedar, spice & tobacco — 3 months ago

Heather Rostker

9.6

Excellent — 4 months ago

with Emmett and Brian