2016 Kutch

[Andrew_Christiansen]

I just got asked a question I don’t know the answer to. Does Jamie have his own facility or using custom crush? It doesn’t matter to me as the wines are wonderful (beeen a buyer for 10 years) and have never thought to ask. But having now been asked… does anyone know?

And while where at it, I guess I assume that most of his vineyards are contract grapes?

He does have a facility, and as far as I know he is a negociant and buys all his grapes. I don’t think he has ownership in any vineyards, and I will let Jamie respond if he does.

[Jamie_Kutch]

Thanks David for the question. We do NOT custom crush. We have our own winery inside a winery. We own all our own equipment. 36 tanks including open tops stainless, closed top pressurized bottling tanks, wood tanks from Beaune, 1 ton basket press, cat walks, settling racks, tank heater etc etc. We use no crush labor. For labor, it’s just myself and Joanna who works with me and whom helps me take grape to bottle on 60 tons of fruit. We rent 3k square feet of space (pic below). We purchased and had installed our own glycol lines, 420 volt electricity and drains. I continue to look for a space to call our own and have bid on commercial buildings and or land to build unsuccessfully. I have been in contract and bid on multiple buildings (commercial and residential farm land). I can’t bring myself to paying up as my past career gets me bullish only when their is blood in the street (unlike now which feels close to euphoric). This week I put a bid in on land with a house, 13 acres and an ability to build a winery. Sadly it sold way over asking price. And so we wait and stay patient. I will do this until I am dead so at 45 years of age, I have time.

As for vineyards, we source 80% of McDougall and 100% of Falstaff and pay acreage contracts to have full control and so as to make all farming decisions.

I hope this sheds some light. Here is a picture taken today. So far we picked out McDougall, have some Bohan in the door and scheduled the rest of Bohan for next week. Signal Ridge, Falstaff and Trout Gulch remain.

[PHuff]

Thanks David for the question. We do NOT custom crush. We have our own winery inside a winery. We own all our own equipment. 36 tanks including open tops stainless, closed top pressurized bottling tanks, wood tanks from Beaune, 1 ton basket press, cat walks, settling racks, tank heater etc etc. We use no crush labor. For labor, it’s just myself and Joanna who works with me and whom helps me take grape to bottle on 60 tons of fruit. We rent 3k square feet of space (pic below). We purchased and had installed our own glycol lines, 420 volt electricity and drains. I continue to look for a space to call our own and have bid on commercial buildings and or land to build unsuccessfully. I have been in contract and bid on multiple buildings (commercial and residential farm land). I can’t bring myself to paying up as my past career gets me bullish only when their is blood in the street (unlike now which feels close to euphoric). This week I put a bid in on land with a house, 13 acres and an ability to build a winery. Sadly it sold way over asking price. And so we wait and stay patient. I will do this until I am dead so at 45 years of age, I have time.

As for vineyards, we source 80% of McDougall and 100% of Falstaff and pay acreage contracts to have full control and so as to make all farming decisions.

I hope this sheds some light. Here is a picture taken today. So far we picked out McDougall, have some Bohan in the door and scheduled the rest of Bohan for next week. Signal Ridge, Falstaff and Trout Gulch remain.

Good luck on finding some property to call your own Jamie…with all of the effort you are putting into the search, it will be even sweeter once you make a deal

Regarding Trout Gulch, if I recall correctly, didn’t the 2014 SCM Chardonnay have some Trout Gulch fruit in it? I sure hope to try another Chard from you that is sourced from that vineyard, as that wine is one of the best Chardonnays I have ever tried. I just bought some of the 2016 Sonoma Coast Chard from your new release, I’m really looking forward to trying that wine when it arrives in November…

[JFertitta]

Hey Jamie - first time buyer, I bought one of each. I’m looking forward to trying your wines. Will I be able to buy more later depending upon how much I like them or will you sell out?

[Jamie_Kutch]

It’s hard to say. My guess is there will be some remaining. Early next years Falstaff is incredible as well so no big worry as it competes easy with this release. Don’t hesitate to connect if you taste, love and want more. Cheers!

[Leonard_Maran]

There have been grave concerns for some time now~about the Wine Expectorate.

[David_K_o_l_i_n]

Thanks for the tour, Jamie!

[James_Bingham]

Slight thread drift, but was the Rose ever released this year? Got the spring offer for 2016 Falstaff, etc. and the Fall offer that we are discussing in this thread, but did not get a Rose offer.

[mattcitrang]

Slight thread drift, but was the Rose ever released this year? Got the spring offer for 2016 Falstaff, etc. and the Fall offer that we are discussing in this thread, but did not get a Rose offer.

Yes - Feb 22, 2018 2017 Rose’ and the 2017 Sans Soufre PN

[David_Schliecker]

Thanks for the great description Jamie! Above and beyond as you are in the middle of harvest as well! I opened a 2014 Kutch Chardonnay last night and it was singing as usual. Looking forward to the 2016s.

Thanks David for the question. We do NOT custom crush. We have our own winery inside a winery. We own all our own equipment. 36 tanks including open tops stainless, closed top pressurized bottling tanks, wood tanks from Beaune, 1 ton basket press, cat walks, settling racks, tank heater etc etc. We use no crush labor. For labor, it’s just myself and Joanna who works with me and whom helps me take grape to bottle on 60 tons of fruit. We rent 3k square feet of space (pic below). We purchased and had installed our own glycol lines, 420 volt electricity and drains. I continue to look for a space to call our own and have bid on commercial buildings and or land to build unsuccessfully. I have been in contract and bid on multiple buildings (commercial and residential farm land). I can’t bring myself to paying up as my past career gets me bullish only when their is blood in the street (unlike now which feels close to euphoric). This week I put a bid in on land with a house, 13 acres and an ability to build a winery. Sadly it sold way over asking price. And so we wait and stay patient. I will do this until I am dead so at 45 years of age, I have time.

As for vineyards, we source 80% of McDougall and 100% of Falstaff and pay acreage contracts to have full control and so as to make all farming decisions.

I hope this sheds some light. Here is a picture taken today. So far we picked out McDougall, have some Bohan in the door and scheduled the rest of Bohan for next week. Signal Ridge, Falstaff and Trout Gulch remain.

[ncostanzo1]

Just read through that issue of WS at a friends house. Having looked through the pages of the nearly 700+ Pinot scores they listed, I can safely say that’s a magazine I never need to look at again as a source of good information as it relates to wine. Some of the scores were just plain laughable. Did he/they just really feel how good it would be to give everyone mid to high 80 pts per wine? A few low 90’s in there (think I saw one at 95?) but just thrashed CA Pinots basically. To each their own though, carry on WS/Laube.

[Jamie_Kutch]

Thanks for the post. I refuse to buy the support and buy the publication. Past issues have been good to start a fire with in the fireplace.

[ericleehall]

I came to a conclusion when I recently saw their recent cover…

They appear to have been set on their cover saying "More Than 700 Pinots Rated"

So while in a usual year all the low scores would be online only, to hit their quota and fulfill that big statement above, they chose to go very low in their scores to appease that statement.

In essence I am a casualty in their hefty statement so that they can selling more magazines and make more money…

Well, I got 82-84 as well for my 16’s, my lowest ever, Same Wines in Robert Parker, WA my Highest Ever! 91+… An almost 10 point spread…

Oh well. This has cemented our decision not to submit for reviews anymore, nor submit for competitions, Not so much because we can’t take the heat, but because they have become so meaningless, that it’s hard to take any pleasure or value even from the good ones!