Sonoma-Cutrer® Brings Together Every Winemaker in its History for First Time to Craft One-of-a-Kind Chardonnay

WINDSOR, Calif., Oct. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In a profession rife with competition and that occasionally simmers with one-upmanship, it's rare to put two artisan winemakers together to develop a new offering; to put three world-class vintners on such an oenophilic adventure is unheard of.  But that's what Sonoma-Cutrer® Vineyards did when it summoned its first two winemakers – Bill Bonetti and Terry Adams – from retirement to join the man who currently holds the title – Mick Schroeter – in making only the second entry in its Winemaker's Release Series.  Wine aficionados will soon be able to sample their creation with the imminent release of Founders Reserve Legacy.    

Following the same process for Sonoma-Cutrer's highly-acclaimed Founders Reserve Chardonnay, a handful of barrels – its 'best of the best' – were handpicked to contribute to the blend for Legacy. To create this one-time release, Bonetti, Adams and Schroeter jointly blended the most special and unique cuvee ever produced of this distinctive Chardonnay.  The winemakers came together in January for a special blending session where each winemaker selected their favorite barrels of the winery's 2012 vintage wines. Various blends of those barrels were prepared and tasted, and together the winemakers selected the final blend of the wine that has become Legacy.

"It was an awesome experience to collaborate with both Bill & Terry. Going into it we didn't quite know what to expect, but remarkably we all had the same vision for this exceptional wine," said Mick Schroeter, current Director of Winemaking for Sonoma-Cutrer. "Starting with the Founders Reserve foundation wine we blended as the base, we tasted the four other potential components and once we all tasted the final option, none of us said a word, looked up and with a smile we all knew…that's the blend."

The Winemaker's Release is a series of wines that showcase the craftsmanship and innovation of Sonoma County's premier winery-Sonoma-Cutrer.  It is a collection of limited-production wines under one umbrella released periodically and consisting of different varietals and blends. The first in the series was Late Harvest Chardonnay, produced from grapes left hanging on the vine well past the standard amount of ripeness, which results in - a more concentrated amount of sugar and flavor.

Director of Winemaking from 1981-1991 Bill Bonetti attributes the quality of the Legacy release to the un-compromising craftsmanship of a wine that genuinely expressed the soil and climate of the vineyard where it grew. Bonetti has dedicated more than 40 years to winemaking and his distinguished career covers much ground including his development of modern grape pressing methods which set the standard for winemaking at Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards.

"For this release we wanted to make a wine that exemplifies the character of the vineyards, are fresh and lively, yet at the same time focused, balanced, and structured," said Terry Adams, Director of Winemaking from 1991-2010. In Adam's tenure at Sonoma-Cutrer, he played a pivotal role in the implementation of the Grand Cru program, overseeing essential projects from the crafting of barrels from French oak trees, to bottling the first vintage of The Cutrer without fining or filtration.

Sonoma-Cutrer has been crafting wines since 1981 in the esteemed Russian River Valley growing region of Sonoma County, California. Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards utilizes proprietary cooling tunnels designed specifically to preserve the highest quality grapes, and the wines are aged in barrels made of specific French oak trees that are individually-selected to the winemakers' needs. 

Founders Reserve Legacy is offered in select U.S. markets with a suggested retail price of $64.99 for a 750mL bottle. For more information on Sonoma-Cutrer, please visit www.sonomacutrer.com or visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/sonomacutrervineyards.

Winemaker's Notes for Sonoma-Cutrer Founders Reserve Legacy
Founders Reserve Legacy is 100% barrel-fermented and aged for 16 months in French Oak.  The wine is rich and complex with diverse aromas of Golden Delicious apple, peach, nougat, caramel, honey and creme brulee that mingle with floral aromatics of orange blossom and honeysuckle.  The plush, creamy mouthfeel exudes flavors of peach, pear, ripe apple and toasted pecans.  A nice cream note and lemon acidity lead to the classic long, crisp Sonoma-Cutrer finish.

Sonoma-Cutrer is one of the fine wines produced and marketed by the Brown-Forman Corporation. For more than 140 years, Brown-Forman has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands.  The company's brands are supported by nearly 4,000 employees and sold in approximately 160 countries worldwide.  For more information about the company, visit www.brown-forman.com. Please enjoy our wines responsibly.

© 2014 Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, Windsor, Sonoma County, California

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SOURCE Sonoma-Cutrer