| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | U.S.A. > California > Sonoma |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Given how much warmer the McDougall Ranch is from the Falstaff Vineyard, the fact that both wines come in at an even thirteen percent octane in this vintage speaks well of the precision
that the Kutch team could exercise harvesting in this growing season. As is the case with the other 2023 pinots, the wine included fifty percent whole clusters in this vintage, saw no new oak during its élevage and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. The wine delivers a lovely aromatic constellation of black cherries, plums, coffee bean, woodsmoke, fresh thyme, dark soil tones, some sweet stem tones and just a whisper of oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and beautifully transparent in its expression of soil tones, with a great core of fruit, fine-grained tannins and great length and grip on the seamlessly balanced and complex finish. This is an utterly brilliant wine in the making! 2035-2080+.
Full bottle 1,344 g. 21 barrels produced from vines planted in 1998 at 1,010 ft, 3.5 miles from the Pacific on Greywacke and sandstone. Picked 29 September. 50% whole cluster, spontaneous fermentation and aged in used French oak barrels. Unfined, unfiltered.
Limpid garnet. Very edgy-but-rich raspberry fruit. Hugely appealing already. Chock-full of fruit and charm. Sonoma Coast rather than Burgundy and none the worse for it. A jewel of a wine hiding its light tannins under all that fruit. (JR)
A crowdpleaser that is arguably Kutch's most celebrated wine, the McDougall Ranch always has a little more oomph and ripeness. So it is in 2023, with the nose having more sturdy, powerful red fruits, juicy, polished and fine with notes of cherry, brambly hedgerow and fully ripe strawberries. The palate is polished, slick in texture with a hint of green spice but focused on more of that cherry-led fruit. Mouthfilling and fine, there is real precision and preservation to the fruit here, it feels very youthful. The texture keeps you coming back for more - not too chalky, not too glossy - just as well managed Pinot should be.
