Have you ever been driving home from work knowing that, in order to enjoy wine with dinner, you’ll have to make an extra stop at the local wine shop? While casually perusing the shelves is great when you aren’t in a hurry, it becomes a chore when you don’t have time to contemplate the enormous selection, or consider what will pair with dinner and match your guest’s preferences.

Having a wine collection at home can alleviate this hassle and is wonderful for every wine aficionado. -Enjoying a bottle of wine at the drop of a hat, without a trip to the wine shop, is an accessible luxury. A wine collection does not have to- be 2,000 bottles; a nice wine selection can be 50 well-chosen bottles.

To set up your home collection, you will need to consider a few select details. First, you need a place that will remain cool (50- to 60°F) and has good humidity (50- to 75°). There should be no direct light, vibrations or off odors. It is also important to have the ability to keep the bottles resting on their sides. Wines age best when they are kept at a constant temperature under these conditions.

Any good collection will have multiple varietals and several bottles of the more popular wines like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Choose wines that are your favorites, pair well with food and you know your guests will enjoy. Two Sonoma-Cutrer wines that I suggest be a part of any home collection are the 2011 Les Pierres Chardonnay and the 2012 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.

Creating your own personal home collection is not only fun, but useful. Enjoy!

Scott Harper, MS

A Certified Wine Educator, Scott is one of 135 professionals in North America and 214 worldwide who have earned the title Master Sommelier

This wine tasting primer is designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of the components of tasting wine. To make it easier, feel free to taste along if you wish. All you need is a quality wine glass of eight or more ounces and a bottle of Sonoma-Cutrer 2012 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.

There are 3 points of emphasis in any wine tasting- Sight, Smell and Taste.

Sight- Usually a full color will suggest a full wine and a light color will suggest a light wine. Our Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is yellow-gold, clear and bright.

Smell- I use the acronym FEW to help remember this part of the tasting. F stands for fruit and floral, E for earth and W for wood or oak.

Fruit can cover the entire world of fruits, but think about fruits that are in the range of the color of wine. For example, white wine may have flavors of citrus and apples; red wine may have flavors of red cherries and black berries.

Earth can encompass everything from the smell of fresh tilled soil to minerals. Like many other flavors in wine, it is not always present.

Wood or oak is used to age a good deal of wine, but not all. It can give a wine the smell of spices like, cinnamon, vanilla, allspice and more. To better smell your wine, try swirling it in your glass to release the aromas and make it easier to describe its flavors.

Our Sonoma Coast Chardonnay smells of apple, pear and lemon zest with the oak enhanced flavors of toasted nuts, baking spices and a hint of vanilla.

Taste – Our taste buds are equipped to sense four basic flavors: Sweet, Sour, Bitter and Salt.

Sweet is the presence of sugar in wine. Dry is the absence of sugar in wine. Medium-dry falls in somewhere between the two. You usually detect sweetness on the tip of your tongue. To better understand dryness in wine, try this simple demonstration: Place three glasses of water in front of you. Into the first glass of water, pour an entire packet of sugar – this equals sweet. Put a half packet of sugar into the second glass – this is medium-dry. No sugar will be put into the third glass of water which equals dry.

Sour refers to the acidity in wine, and while it carries a negative connotation, it really refers to the zippy-crisp component in wine. It typically can be sensed on the sides of your tongue. Let’s take our three glasses of water again. Into the first glass of water, squeeze an entire lemon this would be very crisp. In the second glass of water, squeeze half of a lemon this represents crisp. Put only a few drops of lemon juice into the third glass this is our low acid or not very crisp.

Bitter refers to the tannins in wine. Like sour, it carries a negative connotation. But, it actually refers to the mouth-puckering quality of wine. It may be sensed all over your palate. A heavily tannic wine can make any part of your mouth contract and dry out. A wine can be described as light, medium or heavy in tannin. Tannin can be sensed in grape skins, long steeped tea and espresso. Tannin is typically found in red wine because of the extended skin contact with the unfermented and fermenting wine during red wine production. So, we won’t really find any in our Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.

When you taste wine, allow the wine to stay on your palate for a minute, letting all parts of your palate touch the wine. This will allow you to more accurately use the various areas where you sense the taste of the wine. Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is dry and crisp.

Also, through your palate, you can establish the body or weight of a wine. The body of a wine is described as light, medium or full bodied; like a glass of water, milk or heavy cream respectively, Sonoma Coast is a medium to full-bodied Chardonnay.

Your olfactory system senses smell in your palate, as well as, through your nose. This helps you to connect the wine’s smell and taste. The aftertaste is the lingering flavor you get after swallowing the wine; an aftertaste is only bad when it tastes bad! A good aftertaste is pleasant and persistent. Our Chardonnay has a very pleasant aftertaste.

Overall, we would characterize the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay as yellow-gold with a nose and palate of apple, pear and lemon zest with the oak enhanced flavors of toasted nuts, baking spices and a hint of vanilla. It is dry, crisp, and medium to full-bodied with a very pleasant aftertaste. And don’t forget the easy descriptors like this deliciously, tasty Chardonnay is superb.

Scott Harper, MS

A Certified Wine Educator, Scott is one of 135 professionals in North America and 214 worldwide who have earned the title Master Sommelier

Roasting with Winter Herbs

Nothing warms the soul during cold weather quite like savory roasted meats, and nothing can elevate a dish from cozy comfort food to dinner party showstopper quite like the infusion of fresh, aromatic herbs.

Here at Sonoma-Cutrer, the chef’s garden is chock full of fresh herbs like mint, rosemary, cilantro and parsley. The aromas of these herbs infusing their flavor into meat and veggies fill the air as the winery’s signature roast dishes take center stage for the season.

This winter, liven up your lineup of roast recipes with dishes that take full advantage of fresh, cold-season herbs. To inspire you, here are a few of our Sonoma-Cutrer chefs favorite roast ideas,

Every kitchen needs a go-to roast chicken recipe, and this herb-infused version is a perennial favorite, thanks to the flavors of rosemary, thyme, parsley — and a whole lot of garlic. Pop open your favorite bottle of Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay to use in the dish, then enjoy a glass over dinner.

Or try this roast chicken accompanied by a side of herbed french fries, a can’t-miss classic made with rosemary and parsley.

A truly versatile herb, mint is commonly paired with lamb in the Mediterranean. Take advantage of all that beautiful mint flourishing in your winter garden in this irresistible lamb dish with mint salsa verde. Lock in the flavors by searing the meat on the stovetop, then finish it off with a brief roast in the oven. Create a perfect pairing with Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.

Any of Sonoma-Cutrer’s Pinots also make the perfect sidekick to classics like beef tenderloin and pot roast with winter root vegetables. And when you prepare your favorite roast dish with the freshest herbs of the season, chances are there won’t be a bite left.

Have a few herbs left over? Trim the stems and put them in a cup of water, then cover loosely with a plastic bag and refrigerate. Change the water and trim the stems daily for the best results. The exceptions are mint and basil, which are best kept at room temperature.

Bon appétit!

Simple Tips for Cooking With Wine

Cooking with wine shouldn’t be intimidating. Follow a few essential tips to select a suitable wine for your recipe, and you’re well on your way to enhancing the flavors of your favorite dishes.

First things first: Skip the bottle of “cooking wine” found on grocery store shelves. Often laden with salt and additives, this “wine” won’t add much to your work in the kitchen. The rule of thumb is to avoid cooking with a wine you wouldn’t enjoy drinking.

When mild-flavored recipes call for wine, opt for a crisp white. Acidity and citrus can bring out the delicate flavors of seafood, while a creamy Chardonnay can complement richer recipes ranging from lobster dishes to chicken with cream sauce.

You can’t go wrong reaching for a bottle of Russian River Ranches, Sonoma-Cutrer’s most versatile Chardonnay. Light, medium bodied and easy to pair with a wide range of foods, it’s well suited for everything from seafood salads to marinades for meats and vegetables.

When a recipe calls for a red, be mindful of tannins. These bitter compounds are concentrated when cooked and can become harsh and astringent. Play it safe by opting for a smooth Pinot Noir, such as Sonoma-Cutrer’s Vine Hill. This medium-bodied red with rich fruit flavors accents ingredients rather than overpowering them.

Any of Sonoma-Cutrer’s Pinots work well for a classic beef dish like boeuf bourguignon, but you don’t have to limit this refined red to meat dishes. Need an inspired hors d’oeuvre for your next cocktail party? Try serving dried cherries in a Pinot Noir reduction prepared with Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.

When you’re unsure about what to use in your recipe, opt for the wine you’ll be serving with the meal. After all, good pairings work just as well within a recipe. And as Julia Child once famously quipped, “If you do not have a good wine to use, it is far better to omit it, for a poor one can spoil a simple dish and utterly debase a noble one.”

Which brings us to the best part about cooking with wine — the glass you get to sip while whipping up your masterpiece.

The main objective of pairing -food and wine is pleasure. We should drink and eat what we like despite what any food or wine expert says is right or wrong. It is best to be open-minded enough to try different wines and foods. It is nice to try different varietals with the same foods. If you open multiple wines, open them at the same time and try each with your dish to see which you think pairs the best.

Using flavor bridges sounds complicated, but it can be as simple as using the same or similar wine in a dish that you plan to serve. For example, use a Chardonnay in your white wine butter sauce and then serve the same Chardonnay with the dish. A medium-bodied to full-bodied, dry and crisp Chardonnay like Sonoma-Cutrer’s Sonoma Coast paired with a grilled sea-bass with a Chardonnay butter sauce creates a bridge and continuity of flavors. Serving wine that has similar flavors as your food dishes will help emphasize those flavors.

Using flavor bridges is just one of the many ways to match food and wine. While there are exceptions to the above general guidelines, it will work more times than not. Remember to pair wine and foods of similar weight for best effect. By implementing a few, simple techniques, you will definitely enjoy a more exceptional experience than the boring red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat. Give it a try and see where it take you!

Grand Cru Barrel Program: All About the Oak

Sonoma-Cutrer is known for its dedication to craftsmanship, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the winery’s Grand Cru Barrel Program. The meticulous process of creating a single hand-crafted barrel takes nearly three years.

Why spend so much time and effort on a humble aging container? Simple: Each oak barrel plays a significant role in the flavors that end up in your favorite glass of Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay.

It all starts with the finest French oak, hand selected from individual forests in the heart of France. Professional merrandiers, along with our winemakers, choose specific trees that meet Sonoma-Cutrer’s exacting standards, including straight, tight oak grain with minimal knots, which can cause barrels to leak.

The location of the trees is equally important, as each variation infuses the finished product with distinct flavor notes. For example, the tight grain oak found in slow-growth trees common to cooler climates contributes structure to the wine that allows the fruit to express itself — perfect for the crisp, mineral Les Pierres Chardonnay. Slightly wider grain oak adds caramel and spice characteristics, which complement wines like The Cutrer.

Once selected, the oak is split by hand and seasoned outdoors for 24 to 36 months. Exposure to the elements helps reduce sap, tar and resin in the wood. More importantly, it rids the oak of harsh, bitter tannins. During the seasoning, the splits are turned every 6 months to ensure all unwanted characteristics are leeched from the wood.

Two small family-run tonnellerie’s (coopers) in the Burgundy region then craft the seasoned wood staves into barrels. A relationship that goes back decades, these Old World master craftsmen create barrels specifically suited to the styles of wine produced by Sonoma-Cutrer.

Finally, the barrels are “toasted” over a low, wood-burning fire for up to an hour, depending upon the desired result. Toasting transforms the barrels from a raw, sawdust-type of wood to oak that’s infused with vanilla, caramel, spice and other wine-enhancing compounds.

When it comes to blends like Russian River Ranches and Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, the winemakers play the role of chef. Just like their culinary counterparts, who add a variety of spices to any given dish, the winemakers mix oak from various forests and toast levels to add complexity.

At Sonoma-Cutrer, where attention to detail extends to every corner of wine production, aging Chardonnay is its own art form.