Winemaker Notes
The Cutrer is always a rich, complex wine and, this particular vintage, is even more so! Imagine walking into a baker’s kitchen and smelling a warm fruit pie fresh from the oven. Those delectable aromas are waiting in your glass with integrated oak notes of caramel, pie crust, ripe peach, nougat, brown sugar and honeysuckle floral notes. Layers of white peach and pear, light vanilla, roasted nuts and baking spice fill your mouth with the first sip. This wine is a beautiful balance between a lovely mid-palate creaminess with bright acidity and a long (very), mouthwatering finish. The Cutrer appeals to wine lovers who enjoy a creamier, rounder Chardonnay with more oak influence and this vintage is exceptional!
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesA selection from the 270 acres of vines at Sonoma-Cutrer’s Russian River estate, this wine’s fresh-cut apple flavors follow a clean line of cool, brisk, lemony acidity. It’s lean with a little buttery softness at the edges, built for crab cakes or a lobster roll with tarragon.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.