2024 Kutch, Mindego Ridge Vineyard, Ridge Top Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains
16.5 ++ Vines planted 2000 at 925 ft on shale and silty-clay loam 8 miles from the Pacific, picked 15 September, so 11 days before Kutch’s other bottling of Mindego Ridge. Seven barrels filled. Mid shaded crimson. Rawer fruit and denser than the other Kutch Mindego Ridge Pinot – less charming. Sour-cherry fruit and a bit of tannin with lots of acidity. Made to age, with some real persistence. (JR)
2024 Kutch, Bohan Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
17 Full bottle 1,344 g. Vines planted by the Bohan family in 1972 at 1,400 ft on Goldridge soils. Picked September 6. 8 barrels produced.
Dense, earthy, intense nose. Fruit first is the dominant impression but it is presented in quite a firm framework. Serious wine. (JR)
2024 Kutch Mindego Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains
17.5 Vineyard planted in 2009 (more recently than Kutch’s Sonoma Coast vineyards) at 925 ft 8 miles from the Pacific on shale and silty-clay loam. Picked as late as 26 September and made like the Sonoma County bottling. The 10-acre vineyard is owned by David and Stacey Gollnick. 8 barrels filled. Transparent garnet. Serious, complex nose with many layers and savoury notes as opposed to the sweetness of several of the Sonoma Coast bottlings. Heady and alluring. While you could drink most of the Sonoma Coast bottlings without food, this one needs a place at a table. Quite long. Impressive. (JR)
2024 Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma County
16.5 Full bottle 1,287 g. Blend of fruit from many vineyards supplying the hard-working Jamie Kutch. Vines planted 1972-1999, 3–8 miles from the Pacific on mixed soils. Picked 7–26 September. 50% whole bunch. Spontaneous fermentation, natural malolactic bacteria, aged in used French oak barrels with minimal SO2 and bottled unfined and unfiltered – like all Kutch Pinot Noirs. Transparent garnet. Pure perfume and clean, crystalline cranberry fruit on the palate. Very refreshing but with quite enough fruit and even a bit of persistence. Pretty. (JR)
2024 Kutch Bohan Vineyard Graveyard Block Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
17 + Full bottle 1,350 g. Vines planted 1988 at 1,500ft, ungrafted, 3.05 miles from the Pacific on sandstone and dry-farmed. Picked 7 September. 100% destemmed in this case. Just four barrels produced. Black label. Mid crimson – deeper and bluer than the ‘regular’ Bohan. Rather sumptuous nose then with lots of grunt and a firm, dry finish. Edgy and distinctive with real grip on the palate. A grainy texture and impressive persistence. Serious stuff. (JR)
2024 Kutch McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
17 Vines planted 1998 on Greywacke and sandstone 3.5 miles from the Pacific at 1,010 ft well above the fog line. Kutch’s warmest site so picked 30 August and made like the Sonoma County blend. Transparent, shaded garnet. Rich, sweet nose. Very charming – so much fruit that the tannins are almost imperceptible. There’s even a little gamey nose. This is the Kutch Pinot closest to a fine Grenache! (JR)
2024 Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
16.5 Made just like the Sonoma County bottling from vines planted 1972–1999 at 500–1,400 ft, 3-8 miles from the Pacific on mixed soils. Hand-harvested (like all Kutch wines) 30 August to 26 September. 32 barrels produced. Transparent garnet. Rich, sweet and easy to like. A bit more of a framework than the Sonoma County bottling. (JR)
2024 Kutch Falstaff Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
16.5 + Vines planted in 1999 at 505 ft 8.2 miles from the Pacific on Goldridge soils and exposed to cold and fog. Kutch’s coolest site. Picked 19 September and made like the Sonoma County bottling. 14 barrels produced. Transparent, shaded blueish garnet. Marked acidity and structure. Needs time – the polar opposite of the McDougall Ranch bottling. Not that much length. (JR)