Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, Kutch 2023

Full bottle 1,344 g. 31 barrels produced from vines planted between 1972 and 1999 at 500-1,400 ft, 3 to 8 miles from the Pacific. Mixed soil types and picked 29 September to 18 October. 50% whole cluster, spontaneous fermentation and aged in used French oak barrels. Unfined, unfiltered.
Bright, transparent blueish garnet. Pretty nose and very understated, fresh and well-balanced, fruity palate. A delightfully pretty drink already. Could easily be enjoyed without food. (JR)

The 2023 vintage of the Sonoma Coast bottling of pinot noir from Jamie Kutch comes in at a svelte thirteen percent octane in this vintage. It included fifty percent whole clusters in ’23, was fermented with native yeasts and was raised entirely in older oak. The wine’s aromatic constellation is excellent, wafting from the glass in a sappy blend of red and black cherries, gamebird, woodsmoke, a lovely touch of sweet stem tones, a lovely foundation of soil tones, a dollop of mustard seed and a very gentle framing of cedary oak from the older casks. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, tangy and complex, with a lovely core of fruit, fine focus and grip, impeccable balance and a long, precise and moderately tannic finish. This is an outstanding wine in the making. Though it is certainly approachable and tasty in its youth, the proper course is to tuck it away in the cellar for eight to ten years and let it start to show its secondary layers of complexity. 2033-2075.

A bright, translucent ruby in the glass, this is the perfect introduction to Kutch's red wines. Airy and fine on the nose, the fruit is all cherry blossom and garriguette strawberries. The palate is a surprise, offering real depth and focus, this is not a simple wine. The fruit comes in waves, with a hint of rosemary from 50% whole-bunch fermentation. Unfurling layered textures and flavours, this is serious yet very approachable. The bright, juicy fruit lingers on the finish, squeaky clean and very appetising. No new oak.