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Kutch: From Wall Street to Wine
Only three cases available.
Single Vineyard Sonoma Pinot 43.4% less than the importer
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Fog rolling in off the Pacific over the Bohan Vineyard (courtesy of Kutch Wines)
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I hope everyone’s been well and enjoying the summer wherever you are. For readers in the UK, it seems we’ve come out the other side of yet another heatwave, so let’s focus on some cool-climate Pinot this week.
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For anyone who was on the fence about the mixed-grower case in the last offer, there are just a couple 3-packs remaining, so if you’re interested, get them while you can.
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When people ask me every wino’s most dreaded question: “What is your favorite wine?”, the answer is always the diplomatic: “It depends.” Are you asking about the best bottle I’ve ever had? My favorite producer? Style? Region?
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If we’re talking regions - in no particular order - it’s got to be Burgundy (all roads lead there), Champagne (I think of it as a Swiss Army knife that can do everything) and California (I am a patriot, after all, and it is the epicenter of American wine).
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Draw a Venn diagram of Burgundy and California and you end up in Sonoma County, where some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the world is being made. And I’m not even qualifying that with “outside of Burgundy.”
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Into a cadre of producers who had set the bar for Sonoma Pinot - people like Ted Lemon at Littorai and Helen Turley at Marcassin - came a Wall Street trader with an obsessive palate, no winemaking experience and a determination to push the limits of what was possible on the Sonoma Coast.
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Jamie Kutch’s story resonates with me personally. Before wine, he was a trader at Merrill Lynch in New York. In 2005, he left Wall Street and moved to California to make Pinot Noir - trading a Bloomberg terminal for vineyards and a product that could be opened, shared and enjoyed around a table. Having made my own move from Merrill Lynch into wine, I understand the appeal. For anyone interested in reading further, Elin McCoy wrote a profile of Jamie for Decanter, which you can find here (free to read).
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Jamie initially worked under the tutelage of Michael Browne, of Kosta Browne fame: a Sonoma legend in his own right. But when he launched his own project, he began moving away from the richer, more powerful Californian style that was fashionable at the time and towards wines built around freshness, perfume and site.
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Today, Kutch is one of the reference-point producers for this more restrained vision of Californian Pinot Noir: earlier picking, lower alcohol, native-yeast fermentation, gentle extraction and substantial whole-cluster inclusion. The wines have the perfume and fruit of the Sonoma Coast, but also the acidity, savory detail and structure that Burgundy lovers look for. They are Californian wines, proudly so, but without excess weight or sweetness.
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Today’s wine comes from Bohan Vineyard, one of the historic sites of the West Sonoma Coast. Bohan’s first acre of Zinfandel was planted in 1972. This wine comes from its original own-rooted, dry-farmed Pinot Noir, planted in 1974. Those old vines had to push their roots deep into the ground from the outset, giving them both resilience and the ability to produce small quantities of concentrated, characterful fruit.
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Jamie tasting at his winery in Sonoma (courtesy of Kutch Wines)
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And here’s the best part.
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Californian wine is sometimes criticized (fairly) for being too expensive in the UK. There are reasons for that, which can be discussed another day. But today, this highly rated, single-vineyard Pinot Noir (17+/20 from Jancis Robinson MW and 94 points from Antonio Galloni) is being offered for less than you'd pay for it in America. And it's £125 per case (!) below the next-best UK offer
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So whether you’re a Burgundy fan looking for Côte de Nuits quality at less than the price of many Bourgogne Rouges, a California enthusiast frustrated by UK pricing, or simply curious about Jamie’s story and what he has accomplished, this is a wine for you.
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"Its balance is impeccable. This site, planted in 1972 at 1,400 feet in elevation, yields wines of distinction"
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- Antonio Galloni (Vinous) 94 points
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"Serious, long term Pinot (Nuits not Beaune). Lots of life here with quite a freight of (very polished) tannins."
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- Jancis Robinson MW 17+/20 points
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Duty Paid: £436.80/12x750ml
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White-Glove Concierge Delivery and Free In-Bond Transfers
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Nothing new this week. Order before noon on Wednesday and the wines will be with you next weekend.
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For wines staying in bond, our usual complimentary UK warehouse transfer service is available and we're building the next round of consolidated shipments.
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Thanks as ever and any questions, comments, or feedback are always welcome.
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Founder, Avint-Garde Fine Wine
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- All offers are subject to availability and confirmation.
- Alcohol is sold only to customers aged 18 or over. By placing an order, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old.
- Please drink responsibly. Alcohol can be harmful to your health. For more information, visit Drinkaware.co.uk.
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