Let’s take a journey with our Estate Cut Root Vineyard Pinot Noir!

Winter strips the vines to their bones at Cut Root Vineyard, leaving neat rows of canes resting in the cool fog of the Russian River Valley. Behind them, the redwoods rise like watchmen—hundreds of feet tall, hundreds of years old. This is where our Estate Pinot Noir begins.

Fast forward to the early hours of September 18th. Under the glow of harvest lights, the crew moves quickly, clipping clusters of Pinot Noir while the fruit is still cool and firm. By dawn, bins are filled and loaded onto the truck, headed straight for the crush pad.

The very next morning, Friday, September 19th, we moved those whole clusters and berries into our experimental conical fermenter—a small-batch tool for testing, refining, and pushing what Cut Root can express.

The Story Behind Cut Root

With a vision of planting an exceptional cool-climate Pinot Noir vineyard, our owner Debra and the winemaking team went searching across Western Sonoma County. They wanted more than just soil and climate—they wanted a site with soul.

They found it in a clearing nestled between ancient redwoods in the Green Valley of the Russian River AVA. The first vines went into the ground in spring 2015, hand-selected Pinot Noir clones chosen for their ability to thrive in cool fog, sandy loam soils, and the embrace of the forest canopy.

The vineyard name, Cut Root, nods to a unique viticultural practice. Each spring, the soil is disked, literally cutting some of the vine’s roots. This gentle root pruning triggers new feeder roots, helping the vines better absorb nutrients and water—key for vine health and, ultimately, the quality of the fruit.

The Pinot Noir Clones of Cut Root

The vineyard is a mosaic of Pinot Noir clones, each chosen to bring something distinct to the glass:

• 40% Clone 667 – Known for small berries and concentrated flavors, adding depth and structure.
• 40% Clone 23 – Brings aromatics of red cherry and spice, the bright lift in the blend.
• 20% Calera Clone – Adds complexity and a savory backbone, rounding out the profile.

Together, they give Cut Root wines their balance: elegant yet powerful, bright yet grounded.

Looking Ahead

The 2025 harvest marks just another chapter in the young but promising story of Cut Root. From the quiet vines in winter to the bustle of harvest mornings and the experimentations in the cellar, this vineyard continues to remind us why Pinot Noir belongs here—in the shadows of the redwoods, rooted in both soil and vision.