DuMOL, California, with Andy Smith

As one or two began to ply their trade around the world, I used to joke that one day I’d write a book about Scottish winemakers. But the joke is on me as more and more Scots take up prominent winemaking roles and establish highly-regarded wineries. High on that list, making ‘cult’ wines sold on allocation, is Andy Smith of DuMOL in California.

Born in Edinburgh, Andy swam competitively for Scotland, but at age 25 took up his first winemaking role, having graduated in oenology (like so many of the tartan terroirists) from Lincoln University in New Zealand. Soon he moved to California, joining the winemaking team at Ted Lemon’s Littorai Wines, and then joining Paul Hobbs when Hobbs started his consulting business. Andy became his winemaker for several years, making wines for around eight different clients in California. One of those clients was DuMOL, a project started in 1996 by winemaker Max Gasiewicz along with two business investors, and named after Gasiewicz’s children, Duncan and Molly. Sadly, after just two vintages Gasiewicz passed away and soon Paul Hobbs had been employed as winemaking consultant. Andy looked after DuMOL and, by the year 2000, had become DuMOL’s full-time winemaker.

Andy is now a full partner in DuMOL, but still very much the hands-on driving force. For a relatively small operation the range of vineyards and locations they work with is surprising – 28 different vineyards and parcels spread across Sonoma and Napa – and it soon becomes clear that it is the dirt that drives DuMOL: “It’s a cliche that great wine is made in the vineyard,” says Andy, “but I do believe the potential for any wine is determined by the vineyard it comes from. The idea is to harvest fruit in absolutely premium condition, then do as little as possible.” A third of the vineyards DuMOL planted and own, a third they completely manage but don’t own, and the remainder are owned by growers from whom they buy fruit. Andy sees no difference in potential quality between the three, “because we manage every aspect in each of them.”

There’s an immense amount of detail about each of the vineyards on the DuMOL web site: click on the harvest photograph below to read more.

Andy is also keen to point out that each of the 28 vineyards was chosen and planted with a very specific purpose in mind: it’s not just about having more fruit. Their own Chardonnay vineyard in Russian River, for example, is in the Green Valley sub-area closest to the coast – foggy, windy with the lowest yields of the region. They also have a precious 18 rows in the famous Hyde Vineyard, perhaps the most renowned Chardonnay vineyard in the Carneros district of the Napa Valley, supplying fruit to a who’s who of Californian wineries including Kistler, Ramey and HdV, the Hyde’s joint project with Aubert de Villaine of Romanée-Conti.

When asked about vine clones (a slightly geeky topic that’s always raised with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in particular), he confesses not to be a great fan of clonal selection. “We are on the 5th generation of our own massal selection,” he says, “which we continue to propagate from our own vines that have the smallest and most intense berries.”  None of DuMOL’s vineyards are irrigated once the young vines are established. Some vineyards, including their Hyde plot, are farmed organically, but Andy is pragmatic “a believer in sulphur,” and will treat his vines as required to maintain optimum health. He points out the Sonoma region is cooler and wetter than people might imagine because of the influence of Pacific fog, and diseases like odium (mildew) are an ongoing problem. The Glassy winged Sharpshooter is another persistent problem across California, an insect that spreads a bacterium that can kill vines, called Pierce’s disease.

Planted densely, fruit from the vineyards is always harvested overnight: “It’s all at the winery by 8.30am,” says Andy.  After that, it is all about preserving that pristine fruit quality, which means only subtle use of oak (always light to medium toast 300- and 500-litre barrels from top French coopers, chosen to carefully match the particular wine being made). All fermentations are with ambient yeasts.

Production of each cuvée is small – generally fewer than 1,000 cases, which tend to sell-out to private clients and restaurants before ever reaching retail shelves. However, an old friend of Andy’s from his Edinburgh days is Zubair Mohamed of Raeburn Fine Wines, who does import small parcels of the wines directly. Prices quoted are indicative, and stock is limited, so do please contact Raeburn Fine Wines if you are interested in any of these wines.

I had no experience of DuMOL before this tasting, but their reputation for pure, balanced and detailed wines went before them. I found the wines to be exactly that: an unusually refined marriage between the glorious ripeness and sweetness of fruit from California, and the restraint and finesses one might expect from a classic European region.

The Wines