Award-winning Sonoma county winery celebrates its 40-year legacy with a historic collaboration between winemakers past and present
WINDSOR, Calif., May 10, 2021 – Today, California pioneer Sonoma-Cutrer, located in the heart of the Russian River Valley, releases an outstanding label – the 40th Anniversary Chardonnay – as part of its highly-anticipated annual Winemaker’s Release. Arriving in market beginning in May, this commemorative bottling celebrates the winery’s 40-year milestone in winemaking and represents a final collaboration between its founding and current winemakers.
In its four decades, Sonoma-Cutrer has consistently brought together top-tier talent whose winemaking talents and philosophy celebrate California’s ingenuity while honoring classic Burgundian traditions. To create this year’s Winemaker’s Release, Directors’ of Winemaking Bill Bonetti (1981-1990), Terry Adams (1991-2010), and Mick Schroeter (2010-Present) worked with Chardonnay Winemaker Cara Morrison (2005-Present) to artfully blend a Chardonnay that pays tribute to the winery’s mastery of the variety.
“The 40th Anniversary Winemaker’s Release showcases Sonoma-Cutrer’s Chardonnay style of crisp acidity balanced by ripe fruit and oak complexity,” said Morrison. “Collaborating so closely with Bill, Terry, and Mick was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is a privilege to dedicate this beautiful wine to our visionary founding winemaker Bill Bonetti who passed away peacefully just a few months after blending, and to continue to carry on his vision.”
In selecting the fruit for this wine, the winemakers chose grapes from three closely spaced blocks of Sonoma-Cutrer’s estate vineyards, Les Pierres, The Cutrer, and Vine Hill, which allowed them to craft a varietal that is the ultimate expression of the winery’s classic style. In the cellar, Grand Cru winemaking techniques were used including minimal settling, bâttonage and sur lie aging for 10 months. The wine was fermented and aged in new and used French oak sourced only from the Orleans Forest in central France. Sonoma-Cutrer’s longtime partners the Gauthier family purchased, split, milled and seasoned the wood, and under the winery’s strict guidelines, the barrels were produced by Remond, Rousseau & TW Boswell Cooperages.
Sonoma-Cutrer’s Winemaker’s Release 40th Anniversary Chardonnay presents beautiful aromas of ripe pear, citrus zest, and baked apple, with light mineral notes and a touch of matchstick for complexity. Layers of spice, caramel, nougat, and pie crust are integrated throughout. Melon and Bosc pear along with lemon meringue flavors mingle with hints of nutmeg, clove, toasted nuts, and oak. The wine strikes an exceptional balance between being full-bodied and delicate, with a creamy mouthfeel highlighting the winery’s signature citrus acidity.
Sonoma-Cutrer’s Winemaker’s Release 40th Anniversary Chardonnay (13.9% ABV) will be available at an SRP of $69.99 at some select retail locations as well as direct from the winery at www.sonomacutrer.com.
In celebration of their 40th Anniversary, Sonoma-Cutrer is launching an online consumer photo contest, “Share Your First Time” (With Sonoma-Cutrer). Participants can enter by sharing a photo and story about their first time tasting Sonoma-Cutrer’s wines or visiting the winery for a chance to win a fantasy trip to Sonoma County, California during harvest. A panel of judges will select a winner to receive a 4-day, 3-night round trip to experience all that California’s wine countryand Sonoma-Cutrer have to offer. For entry and complete rules, visit https://www.sonomacutrer.com/40th-anniversary-contest/.
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About Sonoma-Cutrer:
Sonoma-Cutrer has been crafting wines since 1981 in the esteemed Russian River Valley growing region of Sonoma County, California. Our flagship wine, Russian River Ranches, was built in the on-premise and for over 30 years has dominated the Most Popular Chardonnay Wine & Spirits Annual Restaurant Poll. Our winemaking process, led by a female-driven team, is designed specifically to preserve the highest quality grapes, and the wines are aged in barrels made of specific French oak trees that are selected to fit the winemakers’ needs. Sonoma County is the first wine region in the world to be 99% sustainable. As a leader in this initiative, Sonoma-Cutrer prioritizes protecting the environment in all viticultural and winemaking processes. All Sonoma-Cutrer wines can be purchased at the Sonoma-Cutrer winery, as well as, through the wine club, Club Cutrer. For more information about our wines, how to purchase, or to join Club Cutrer, please visit www.sonomacutrer.com or visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/sonomacutrervineyards.
