The top two highlights of the afternoon we spent at Sonoma Cutrer were: 1) getting to tour the pinot noir facility, which is out and away from the main facility which receives visitors -- pictured here, Terry Adams is showing off his gravity-winery operation.
2) Tasting the Founders Reserve Chardonnay.
Sonoma Cutrer has earned a reputation for quality and for consistently-excellent Chardonnay production in the Russian River Valley, the wine-making heart of Sonoma if you a drinker who prefers Burgundy to Rhone or Bordeaux. This reserve chardonnay has all the qualities of a fine white burgundy, and can stand its own against the top chardonnays from anywhere in the world. Only five barrels of it are made each year, typically focusing on two blocks of the 30+ year old Cutrer vineyard. Lush, deep, yellow fruit showing honeysuckle, jasmin, green apple interplay with the oak resulting in a wine of intense depth of flavor.
$35; 92 points
Bottom Line: A jewel amongst Sonoma Chardonnays.
Comments