2018 Kutch Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Clone 17 and Wente. 41-year-old vines at 600 ft. Dry-farmed, organically. Everything about the aroma is subtle at first: citrus, a reductive touch (struck match) and underneath something rather pretty even though it is clearly a cool-climate restrained style. With air that struck-match character shows more clearly. In the mouth this is more powerful, with marked (and delicious) reductive character and real drive across the palate. Intense and beautifully fresh and lingering on the finish. (JH)
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Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
This vineyard is located in the southern portion of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, near the town of Aptos, and sits a mere 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from the Pacific Ocean at an elevation of 600 feet (182 m) on sandy loam soil. It was planted in 1977 and is farmed sustainably. The wine was whole-cluster pressed into 20% new French oak barrels where it was fermented and aged. 350 cases produced. Pale gold. Riveting aromas of lemon oil and pine resin. Silky-textured, resinous flavours of lemon curd and lemon juice mix with pink grapefruit and a touch of white flowers. Lovely wet-pavement notes accompany the zippy citrus qualities of the wine which vibrate with fantastic acidity. Outstanding balance, nervosity and flavour. Without doubt, one of the best Californian Chardonnays on the market. (AY)
Coming from the Santa Cruz Mountains, the 2018 Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard offers more minerality as well as rocking notes of buttered stone fruits, toasted almonds, Meyer lemons, and lots of marine-like salinity. Reminding me of a Chardonnay from Rhys with its vibrant, mineral-laced, medium-bodied style, it's another classic, age-worthy Chardonnay that will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age. Jamie Kutch continues to make a savory, almost Old World style of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In general, these are structured, tannic wines, and short-term cellaring is advised.
The 2018 Chardonnay Trout Gulch melds together the vibrancy of this site in the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with an extra kick of textural richness from added hang time this fruit got in 2018. Exotic and complex, the Trout Gulch has so much promise. It is tremendously beautiful, textured and nuanced, even in the early going.