About Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards
Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards has been one of California's most recognizable Chardonnay producers since its founding in 1973 at 4401 Slusser Road in Windsor, within the Russian River Valley. Few California wineries have achieved the same combination of critical respect and national restaurant-list ubiquity — a presence earned over five decades of single-minded focus on cool-climate Chardonnay from some of Sonoma County's finest vineyard sites.
The winery farms three distinct estate vineyards. Russian River Ranches is the flagship — a blend from multiple Russian River Valley sites that delivers the winery's most widely distributed expression. The Cutrer Vineyard, farmed biodynamically, is a 162-acre Sonoma Coast site producing richer, more structured Chardonnay. Les Pierres Vineyard is the crown jewel — a rocky, mineral-driven site whose Chardonnay is among the most age-worthy in California, with a track record stretching back to the early 1980s.
Now owned by Brown-Forman, Sonoma-Cutrer has maintained the quality and vineyard-specific philosophy that built its reputation. Winemaking leans Burgundian — barrel fermentation, extended lees aging, restrained oak — producing wines that reward patience but drink well young. The Pinot Noir program draws from the same cool Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast sources.
"Les Pierres is one of the great California Chardonnay sites — the kind of vineyard that makes you stop comparing California to Burgundy and simply pay attention."
Tastings are by appointment at the estate, which features the croquet lawns that became an unlikely part of the winery's brand identity in the 1980s. The $35 tasting fee typically covers the three estate vineyard designates alongside seasonal and library releases. For serious Chardonnay enthusiasts, Sonoma-Cutrer is essential.
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Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards isSonoma-Cutrer Vineyards is California's most nationally distributed and most consistently restaurant-wine-list-present single-appellation Russian River Valley Chardonnay brand.
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The Windsor estateThe Windsor estate — established in 1973 with a specific focus on producing single-vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay of maximum individual estate character — created the most elegant branded and most widely recognized California Chardonnay program of the 1980s and early 1990s, when the combination of croquet lawn lawn hospitality imagery, estate-named Chardonnay designates, and consistent restaurant wine list placement made Sonoma-Cutrer the most aspirationally lifestyle-branded and nationally present Russian River Valley Chardonnay available.
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The three estateThe three estate vineyards — Russian River Ranches, Cutrer, and The Pinnacles — provide the most individually comparative single-estate Russian River Valley Chardonnay education available from any nationally distributed California Chardonnay brand.
"Russian River Valley's most croquet-lawn-elegantly branded and nationally distributed Chardonnay estate — Sonoma-Cutrer "
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Featured Wines
Chardonnay
Russian River Ranches Chardonnay
Russian River Valley / Russian River Ranches
Sonoma-Cutrer's most broadly food-first and nationally restaurant-wine-list-familiar estate Chardonnay — Russian River Ranches from the most consistently nationally distributed and elegantly lifestyle-branded Russian River Valley Chardonnay brand's most broadly approachable and food-compatible estate vineyard, mineral and balanced with the most approachably fog-influenced Russian River Valley cool-climate character.
Chardonnay
The Cutrer Chardonnay
Russian River Valley / Cutrer Vineyard
Sonoma-Cutrer's most prestige-estate-named and structurally individual Russian River flagship — The Cutrer Vineyard Chardonnay from the most structurally mineral and age-worthy single-estate designation in the most nationally-elegant-Chardonnay-branded Russian River Valley program, showing the most individually structured and cool-maritime-specifically-mineral character in the most nationally recognized Russian River Chardonnay appointment.
Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley / Sonoma-Cutrer Estate
Sonoma-Cutrer's most broadly accessible and nationally-brand-familiar Russian River Pinot companion — estate Pinot Noir from the most consistently nationally distributed and elegantly croquet-lawn-branded Russian River Valley Chardonnay estate's most broadly food-compatible and mineral Russian River Pinot Noir production alongside the primary nationally recognized Chardonnay program.
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Named Estate Chardonnay Appointment
Appointment comparing Russian River Ranches, Cutrer Vineyard, and other estate-named Chardonnay designates at California's most nationally distributed and most consistently restaurant-wine-list-present single-appellation Russian River Valley Chardonnay brand — Sonoma-Cutrer's most individually named-estate-comparative and nationally-Chardonnay-brand-familiar estate Chardonnay education.
From $35
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