Trout Gulch Chardonnay

Pork, Rich fish (salmon, tuna etc), Vegetarian, Poultry

The list of producers sourcing grapes from the Trout Gulch vineyard wines reads like the Who’s Who of progressive, Californian wine. Kutch had to wait for his opportunity to secure fruit here, which came first in 2014. The vineyard was planted in 1980 to the ‘Wente’ Chardonnay cloned, so named after Ernest Wente who propagated the clone in the early 1900s and provided the genetic basis for over 75% of Chardonnay plantings in California. The vineyard sits in a coastal forested canyon, on fine sandy loam and is organically and dry farmed. The ripening season is slow, and the wines here have a high natural acidity and a distinctive saline quality.

Matured in 20% new French oak. 10 barrels made.

100% whole-cluster fermentation, with indigenous yeasts.

Jamie Kutch’s route to winemaking began late. He had graduated in finance and found himself increasingly bored with the rat race of New York trading floor. As he became more and more fixated on wine and the industry, he would chuck it all in and relocate to California, armed with savings, a steadfast determination and unbridled passion to produce Pinot Noir. His inaugural releases came as recently as 2005. After a rocky road, Kutch is today considered one of the leading exponents of Pinot Noir, ever refining and thrilling for wines of refinement, brightness and translucent expression of place.