Established in 1973 by Cecil De Loach, a firefighter from San Francisco, De Loach was purchased by Burgundian Jean-Claude Boisset in 2003. His son Jean-Charles Boisset saw the similarities of the Russian River Valley with his native Burgundy and the potential that the region held for producing fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. One of his first decisions having acquired the estate was to convert the seven hectares of vineyard surrounding the winery to biodynamic farming. Head winemaker Brian Maloney has worked at De Loach since 2003 and has proved instrumental in evolving De Loach by continuing to explore different soils across the Russian River Valley and focusing on high-quality, small-lot winemaking. The ‘Heritage Collection’ range offers superb value and quality for mid-priced Californian wines. De Loach’s Russian River Valley fruit is supplemented by grapes sourced from like-minded growers in selected premium areas of California, particularly the Central Coast. The Russian River Chardonnay was fermented in a combination of stainless steel tanks and concrete (30%) and French oak barrels (70%), of which 10% were new. The barrel-fermented portion of wine was aged for 10 months and underwent malolactic fermentation. It displays enticing aromas of white peach and brioche and is rich with well-balanced acidity on the palate. In keeping with the estate’s Burgundian heritage, the Russian River Pinot Noir is vinified in open-top wood fermenters and then aged in French oak for 12 months (mostly second, third and fourth use). The wine is multi-layered with fine tannins and bright acidity. After moderate temperatures through the long growing season, California’s 2018 harvest was exceptional. Harvest was later than in 2017 due to consistent growing conditions and cooler temperatures, which allowed the grapes to mature slowly and be harvested at a high quality. This wine displays notes of orange blossom, pear and melon with herbaceous undertones. Immediately enjoyable, this wine is delightfully balanced with bright acidity and softness on the palate.