2019 Pinot Noir Falstaff Vineyard

Jamie Kutch nailed the 2019 vintage. Kutch describes 2019 as a cool year with quite a bit of rain in spring. Production for the top wines is down 30%, largely the result of the decision to take lesser barrels and blend them into a Sonoma County Pinot (which I did not taste). Over the last few years, Kutch has tended to pick Pinot just a bit riper while also lowering the use of whole clusters. That combination worked brilliantly. The 2019 Pinots really stand out for their purity of fruit and expression of site. Readers will note the addition of a new Pinot from Mindego Ridge, one of the most exciting new properties in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a wine that replaces the Signal Ridge in the lineup. The Chardonnays are the hidden gems in this range, but they are just as worthy of serious attention. In particular, the Trout Gulch Chardonnay is impressive for the way it balances ripeness and fruit density with the more savory, mineral-driven qualities that are so typical of the site.