Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay 2024- Tasting Notes, Prices, and Specs

As a wine enthusiast with over 7 years of tasting a wide variety of Chardonnays from Sonoma County and beyond. I was excited to get my hands on a bottle of the newly released 2024 vintage of Sonoma-Cutrer’s acclaimed Russian River Ranches Chardonnay. As a UC Davis trained viticulturist and self-proclaimed Chardonnay fanatic living in the Russian River Valley. I feel uniquely qualified to provide my tasting notes and overall assessment of this wine.

After popping the cork on this bright, golden-hued Chardonnay, I was immediately greeted by enticing aromas of baked apple, lemon curd, and sweet oak. Swirling the wine released further scents of tropical fruit like pineapple and mango along with a slight flinty minerality, promising complexity.

My First Sip Experience

My first sip delivered a rich, round, and lush mouthfeel with bright acidity balancing the wine’s medium body and moderate 12.5% alcohol content. The initial taste mirrors the nose with dominant flavors of golden apple, lemon meringue pie, and toasty oak which linger through the exceptionally long, clean finish.

As I continued to sip this wine over an hour, subtle notes of honeydew melon, white nectarine, and hazelnut emerged while the oak influence gently receded into the background. I detected a delightful creaminess on the mid-palate along with a flinty, wet stone character which added an extra dimension. The finish remained persistent with citrus and stone fruit notes.

Overall, this Chardonnay shows exceptional balance, complexity, and elegance that made me go back for sip after sip even an hour after opening. The wine evolves nicely in the glass, revealing additional layers of flavor with time. While enjoyable on its own, this wine has the structure and depth to pair nicely with foods like roasted chicken, risotto with spring vegetables, or even a lobster bisque.

As a long-time member of Sonoma-Cutrer’s wine club and regular visitor to their breathtaking estate nestled among the redwoods and vineyards of the Russian River Valley, I can attest to the quality and care that goes into each bottle. The talented team of winemakers leverage ideal climate conditions and sustainable vineyard practices to produce their signature Russian River Ranches Chardonnay.

The 2024 vintage in particular benefited from a long, warm growing season allowing perfect ripening of the grapes resulting in a wine that over-delivers for its reasonable price point. Given this Chardonnay can age gracefully for 5-7 years, I’m tempted to squirrel away a few bottles in my cellar to experience how it evolves over time.

Pricing and Availability

The Sonoma-Cutrer 2024 Russian River Ranches Chardonnay has an SRP of $32 but can be found online and in wine shops for around $25-28 per bottle. As one would expect from Sonoma-Cutrer’s track record, this wine over-delivers for the price and represents an excellent value for the quality.

Given the moderate production of only 100,000 cases, I recommend checking availability with your favorite wine merchant or local bottle shop soon to get your hands on this fantastic Chardonnay before supplies run out! You can also order directly from the Sonoma-Cutrer website to get exclusive member pricing along with special wine club releases not available anywhere else.

The Bottom Line

As a long-time Sonoma wine enthusiast who has tasted my fair share of Russian River Chardonnays, I can highly recommend the 2024 vintage of Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay to both budding and seasoned Chardonnay devotees. With its exceptional balance, complexity, and purity of fruit, it’s sure to impress on its own or with food, all at a reasonable price point.

Given Sonoma-Cutrer’s commitment to sustainable wine growing and nurturing these truly special vines in the Russian River Valley, I believe each vintage of this wine will continue to deliver this level of quality that over-delivers for the price well into the future.

With some age-ability, you may even consider picking up a case to experience the subtle evolution over 5-7 years. For an elegant and quintessential Russian River Chardonnay expression, look no further than Sonoma-Cutrer’s 2024 Russian River Ranches bottling. I’ll certainly be enjoying it for years to come!

For more updates on wine trends, check out our article on Emerging Wine Trends in 2024-Unique Varietals and Regions to Watch

Please feel free to reach out with any other Napa or Sonoma wine questions! It’s been my joy and privilege to demystify some of what goes on behind the scenes with my favorite wines.