WINDSOR, Calif., June 26, 2024 – Today, award-winning California producer, Sonoma-Cutrer, announces the release of Les Plus Haut Pinot Noir, part of its highly-anticipated annual Winemaker’s Release series. The Winery’s Winemaker’s Release is a series of wines that showcase the brand’s commitment to artisan craftsmanship and unique, high-quality production practices.
Les Plus Haut translates to “the most elevated,” as fruit from the highest blocks from both estate-owned Owsley Ranch and Vine Hill Vineyard were selected for this wine. Owsley Ranch’s dramatic temperature changes from warm days to cool, foggy nights, resulted in concentrated and complex flavors in the grapes. Vine Hill Vineyard, with a more than 300 foot elevation change, allowed for each ridge, slope, and valley in the vineyard to contribute unique characteristics to the grapes.
“We are thrilled to offer a Pinot Noir for this year’s Winemaker’s Release,” said Cara Morrison, Sonoma-Cutrer’s Director of Winemaking. “With an inordinately dry season, we worked extremely carefully and closely with the fruit to ensure a successful harvest from both Vine Hill and Owsley Ranch vineyards. The result is a thoughtful and delicious wine that furthers our reputation as one of Sonoma County’s premier wineries.”
To create this wine, grapes were picked and sorted by hand before a gentle destemming. During the four-day cold soak and the eight- to twelve-day fermentation, the wine was punched down by hand in small, open-top fermenters. Once fermentation was complete, the wine was gently basket pressed and gravity racked into the barrels. Les Plus Haut was aged in a mix of new, one-year and two-year old French oak barrels. After resting for 14 months, the final blend was assembled and left to rest and evolve in the bottle for six additional months.
Les Plus Haut Pinot Noir has an intense, beautiful garnet hue with deep aromas of blackberry, black cherry and dark chocolate with hints of vanilla and spicy cardamom. Scents of dusty rose complement earthy notes of forest floor and truffle with black tea accents. Textured, with good volume and a juicy mid-palate, the rich robust flavors are full of dried herbs, sweet baking spices, cola, dark chocolate and blackberry. The finish is elegant and long with fine-grained tannins. As this Pinot Noir is built for longevity, cellaring for another 2-4 years will continue to build complexity while softening the tannins.
Sonoma-Cutrer Winemaker’s Release 2021 Les Plus Haut Pinot Noir (14.47% ABV) is available for an SRP of $70. The wine is available to purchase directly from the winery at www.sonomacutrer.com.
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/
