2017 Sonoma-Cutrer Single Barrel Les Pierres Private Select Chardonnay (Screwcap)

Sonoma-Cutrer was founded in 1973 in Windsor, in the Sonoma Coast appellation of Northern California. It began strictly as a grape growing enterprise but in the early 1980s the estate started making Chardonnay. Today the estate includes 1,000 acres in the Sonoma Coast region and produces 150,000 cases of wine a year. The estate is still known for its well-regarded Chardonnays though it also produces Pinot Noir. Today the estate is owned by Brown-Forman, an international spirits concern.

Sonoma Valley AVA is Sonoma County’s original winegrowing district. Designated as an AVA in 1981, it includes 14,000 vineyard acres in a long, narrow valley that runs north-south. Rather romantically, the valley is also called The Valley of the Moon. The oldest winery in the AVA, and one of the oldest in California, is Buena Vista Winery, founded in 1857 by a Hungarian count who planted vineyards in Wisconsin before moving to California. Today there are nearly 60 wineries in the AVA producing a variety of wines, from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon and Gewurztraminer. The appellation is bordered by mountain ranges on the east and west, which partly account for Sonoma Valley’s unique terroir. The mountains protect it from the cooling weather of the Pacific Ocean and fruit ripens well.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.