For over 40 years, Sonoma-Cutrer has been marrying Burgundian traditions with Californian ingenuity and a deep appreciation for Sonoma Valley’s exceptional terroir. The method has introduced the vineyard international acclaim and the chance to work with among the world’s greatest winemakers, together with Cara Morrison and Zidanelia Arcidiacono, who goes by Z.
We sat down with Cara and Z to find out about their backgrounds in wine, their particular person approaches to winemaking, and what a few of their favourite bottles are.
Simply to start out, what are each of your first reminiscences of wine and the way do these reminiscences influence the way in which you every method your craft?
Z: I bear in mind I used to be about 6 years outdated after I first visited a vineyard in Argentina with my household, the outdated Giol vineyard. The extraordinary aromas of fermentations, fruit and yeast. On the time I discovered it a bit aggressive however so magnificent. Now that I’m on the manufacturing aspect I discover the entire course of fascinating. I at all times hold in my thoughts the individuals who will benefit from the wines and that encourages me to at all times enhance and search for new strategies.
My first reminiscences of wine are my dad ingesting easy bag-in-the field ‘Chablis’ and ‘Hearty Burgundy.’ He by no means made a fuss in regards to the wine and easily loved it with mates. I hold that in thoughts that wine is a enjoyable, social product. Whereas a few of us love schooling and studying about wine, there are occasions to easily benefit from the wine and never analyze it. How that reminiscence impacts the way in which I method my craft… after I really feel actually wired throughout harvest, I keep in mind that wine is enjoyable & concentrate on the optimistic. I respect how I dwell in a good looking place and get to do a job I really like.
Zidanelia, you’ve labored in Argentina, the South of France, and California. Are there variations to the way in which every place approaches wines? How about similarities?
Z: In fact there are variations and that makes it tremendous entertaining and various. Every vineyard has its personal model and every area with its terroir has a particular affect on the expansion of the vines. In Mendoza, Argentina I had the chance to work with a number of varietals each white and crimson, in fact, with nice typical examples comparable to Malbec and Torrontes.
Within the south of France in a big quantity cooperative vineyard I used to be in a position to help within the manufacturing of sunshine and really fruit ahead rosé wines.
In California, I used to be in a position to uncover new varietals comparable to Zinfandel and had the chance to work with various areas comparable to Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles and Santa Maria. I lastly discovered my ardour for making Pinot Noir in Sonoma Cutrer.
What they’ve in frequent are the fundamentals of winemaking and the need to provide the perfect wine doable.
Cara, you’ve labored in wineries and studied wine internationally, together with in Australia, Chile, New York, New Zealand, Japanese Europe, Italy, Germany and France. Are there any defining traits that profitable wineries from each area all carry?
Cara: Nice query! Similar to essentially the most profitable eating places concentrate on a sort of meals or a couple of signature dishes, the identical might be stated for wine. The defining attribute of profitable wineries virtually anyplace is to decide on what wine they actually could make properly and concentrate on these wines, and never attempt to do each completely different sort of wine. Burgundy is a perfect instance, the local weather & soil, terroir if you’ll, are perfect for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, so that’s what the wineries concentrate on. Alsace in Germany has a a lot cooler local weather, so that they embrace that by making wonderful Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer. Sonoma-Cutrer is within the cooler area of Sonoma County, the Russian River Valley, so we concentrate on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
What has been your favourite wine area to spend time in? Have they got any distinctive approaches to craft that you just notably take pleasure in?
Z: I don’t have a favourite area, I’ve lovely reminiscences and mates from Mendoza and the south of France. At present in Sonoma County I’m very completely happy, the standard of wines we produce in Sonoma County is spectacular, it’s a excellent place to dwell.
Cara: Whereas I’ve visited many wine areas, there are such a lot of extra to discover! Each vineyard has their very own distinctive method to the identical primary means of harvesting grapes, fermenting, ageing, and mixing. I’ve picked up one thing in every of those areas. What I discover essentially the most is how related all of us are within the winemaking method (all of us need to make the perfect wines), the distinction is the terroir.
What is exclusive about making wine in Sonoma County?
Z: Sonoma County is such a various winegrowing area, a number of grape varieties are grown right here, you could find numerous expressions of the identical selection as a result of winemaking model.
Cara: The fog defines Sonoma County and permits so many wine varietals to thrive on this space. One factor most individuals exterior of Northern California have no idea is that the Pacific Ocean is VERY chilly right here and causes fairly a little bit of fog. I placed on a jacket & sweats to go to the seaside, and infrequently go within the water. The Russian River Valley is nearer to a coastal mountain hole the place the fog from the Pacific Ocean sneaks via, this fog causes the good climate, so whites & Pinot Noir do greatest right here. As you go North from this hole, within the Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, the fog wears out sooner and it’s a lot hotter, which permits for good high quality Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. The fog permits for a variety of wines and defines the individuality of Sonoma County.
Are you able to inform us a bit about Sonoma-Cutrer… the terroir, the grapes you develop, and the wines you make?
Cara: (from query above) The Russian River Valley is nearer to a coastal mountain hole the place the fog from the Pacific Ocean sneaks via, this fog causes the good climate, so whites & Pinot Noir do greatest right here.
Most of Sonoma-Cutrer’s vineyards are within the Russian River Valley and profit from the fog. The cooler climate permits for slower ripening, which advantages the ripe tree fruit aromas and crisp acidity of Chardonnay and the darkish shade and mouthfeel in Pinot Noir that we make at Sonoma-Cutrer.
As a result of cool climate, in 1981 Sonoma-Cutrer determined to do one factor and do it very well and we selected Chardonnay. After over 20 years we felt like we dialed in our model, winery practices and winemaking strategies for Chardonnay and began to make Pinot Noir. Now we’re 40 years in and pleased with the actual fact we focus our consideration on these particular wine varietals.
What is exclusive about Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay? How about Pinot Noir?
Z: The Russian River Valley boasts close to superb circumstances for rising Pinot Noir grapes. We at all times concentrate on crafting wines that replicate their distinctive terroir. The grapes for our Pinot Noir come from Vine Hill and Owsley vineyards. The distinctive terroir of every winery, from Owsley’s dramatic temperature fluctuations to Vine Hill’s 400-foot elevation change, is instantly accountable for producing fruit with concentrated, complicated flavors.
Cara: Essentially the most distinctive attribute of Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay is the consistency yr after yr. I first tasted Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay in 1998 and fell in love with the model. Within the Nineteen Nineties, when most California wineries had been making tremendous oaky and buttery Chardonnays, Sonoma-Cutrer nonetheless revered the fruit and pairing wine with meals. To at the present time, we nonetheless observe that meals pleasant model of a crisp acidity, vivid fruit, and full mouthfeel. We’re one of many few wineries that’s not searching for a robust affect of the winemaker on the wine, however to verify the present winemakers respect the model yr after yr.
How would you each describe your philosophies on the subject of winemaking?
Z: I like to provide wines that categorical the pure traits of the varietal and the realm the place they’re produced; when you’ve got top quality fruit comparable to our Pinot Noir, the much less the winemaker’s hand intervenes the higher the wine is. Realizing this, I simply think about harvesting the grapes on the desired level, guiding them via fermentation and barrel ageing to achieve their full potential.
Cara: I agree with Zidanelia, and that’s why we each work at Sonoma-Cutrer!
What’s one thing that individuals usually don’t take into consideration when they give thought to making wine, nevertheless it’s important to the job?
Z: To make wine you want to keep up a correspondence with the vineyards as it’s an agricultural trade and there’s a lot of science in addition to a contact of artwork concerned in winemaking.
Cara: Logistics and suppleness are important to creating wine. Mom Nature at all times throws you a curve ball all through the grape rising season, and it’s exhausting to plan for. So, winemakers have to be masters of logistics and constantly versatile, particularly on the busy harvest season in fall. Not solely do we have to resolve which grapes ought to to be picked and tips on how to make the wine, however how there will likely be sufficient pickers, well timed trucking, planning presses, scheduling cellar workers, and organizing juice to tanks or barrels relying on the model of the wine and what’s obtainable on the time. One other instance is planning bottling with the logistics of provide chain on packaging, which has develop into a a lot larger job than it was!
In the event you every had to decide on your three favourite bottles of wine, apart from your personal, what are they?
Z: The reality is that my reminiscence may be very dangerous and I choose to speak about wine kinds and areas. I really like recent and fruity glowing wines and the complexity of some Champagnes. Among the many white wines, Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand attracts me loads. Lastly blends (Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre) from the Pic St Loup space within the Languedoc area are very particular.
Cara: There are such a lot of lovely wines! All of them include a narrative, in fact, so bear with me.
When tasting wines in Burgundy about 10 years in the past, the winemaker at Domaine Sauzet shared 11 completely different white Burgundies (Chardonnays) with my husband and I, all the identical classic from completely different sub appellations. Whereas I perceive the idea of terroir, I’ve by no means skilled it in that method. All these Chardonnays had been so completely different but the grapes had been grown inside 5 miles of one another, some vineyards inside a couple of ft, and made by the identical winemaker on the identical vineyard. The ultimate eleventh wine, which was a Premier Cru, was so elegant and exquisite I truly began to tear up.
Once I attended UC Davis, I acquired a scholarship from an area wine group primarily based in Sacramento. Two representatives from this group needed to take me to lunch, and a pair of of my professors stated they might be becoming a member of me. At lunch, I used to be in a position to style the 1974 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay. It was in 1973 that gained the ‘Judgment of Paris’ and put California wine, particularly Napa Valley on the wine map (additionally impressed the film ‘Bottle Shock’). Since I used to be born in 1974 they usually had it available, that’s what they introduced. I used to be simply 21 and hadn’t skilled excessive finish wines a lot, so it was an schooling on the historical past of wine, on how there are occasions to take pleasure in wine and instances to essentially analyze and concentrate on the wine. They introduced another fantastic wines, and I spotted why 2 of my wine professors supplied to hitch me. They didn’t need to miss out on some nice wines!
One other favourite wine was newer. My husband and I had some mates over for wine and cheese exterior simply after we had been all totally vaccinated from COVID. We occurred to have a bottle of Bollinger Champagne within the fridge (rule #1, at all times have a bottle of Glowing within the fridge simply in case!), so we shared it. It was a tasty Champagne, a good looking pairing and an exquisite reminiscence!
For extra data, head over to Sonoma-Cutrer’s official web site.
