American, French producers share information, inspire each other

Burgundy's 2,000-year tradition of embracing a hierarchy of chardonnay vineyards provides its winegrowers with distinct advantages and constraints.

An ocean and continent away in California, chardonnay growers have more limited experience exploring and discovering outstanding coastal vineyards' grape-growing potential.

Yet, Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards' veteran winemaker Terry Adams says both winegrower groups have much to learn from each other.

Since 1986, Adams and other leading California winemakers have gathered with leading French producers -- Bernard Morey from Chassagne-Montrachet, Thierry Matrot from Meursault, Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's Aubert de Villaine -- at the "Focus on Chardonnay Symposium." Alternating weeklong visits every four years to California and Burgundy, winemakers share information, experiences and -- perhaps most importantly -- inspiration.

"Everybody had their guard up and was reluctant to share secrets," Adams says, recalling the first meeting. "But by the end of the first week, we developed camaraderie that continues to this day."

Through spirited dialogues, Burgundy winemakers selectively adopted some of their New World colleagues' state-of-the-art technology and scientific approaches to winemaking. This helped spur Burgundy's growing focus over the last 20 years on using pure, fully ripened grapes grown in healthy soils. And Burgundy's overall consistency improved markedly.

In turn, California winemakers increasingly embraced greater appreciation for winegrowing as an art, as opposed to pure science. Aubert de Villaine is an especially helpful role model, Adams says.

"He has taught me about humility -- trusting in the vines, making your best call and then having the confidence to go with it," he says.

After the 1990 "Focus on Chardonnay Symposium" in Burgundy, Adams returned inspired.

Although already boasting a highly esteemed reputation for producing some of California's best chardonnays, Sonoma-Cutrer's new goal was to raise standards of excellence even high by creating a "Grand Cru" program. Under Adams' leadership, the program assimilated the best of Burgundian know-how in vineyard management, winemaking and cellar aging.

Adams comprehensively re-examined his vineyards' clonal selections, vine spacing and farming techniques. The process continues today in collaboration with colleagues working principally in the vineyards.

In the chardonnay winemaking process where oak-barrel fermentation and aging figure critically, Adams had a revelation.

"Burgundy winemakers use restrained barrels to keep oak influences in the background," Adams points out. "Fruit and the terroir should be the main expressions."

Accordingly, over the years, Adams evolved a confident, restrained style imparting oak influences deftly in a supporting role. Today his Sonoma-Cutrer's wines exemplify dedication to expressing the grapes' distinctive character as a reflection of their specific vineyard.

"We focus on growing the best grapes we can and then let them show as well as possible in our wines," Adams says.

His wines made from chardonnay grapes grown in Sonoma-Cutrer's top vineyards -- Les Pierres and The Cutrer -- offer remarkably different traits. Prominent mineral notes, lean, precise fruit and vibrant acidity characterize Les Pierres, while rounder texture, more tannins and a broader fruity palette distinguishes Cutrer.

"And each wine ages beautifully and goes its own way," Adams says.

He credits terroir -- the interaction of the climate, surrounding environment and the distinct soils in which the vines are planted -- for determining the wines' personalities.

Les Pierres -- "the stones" in French -- occupies a former volcano's rocky slope.

"We've dug down 15 feet and haven't reached the bottom of the rocks." Adams says with the wry laugh of somebody who has toiled in this rugged vineyard.

By contrast, The Cutrer, Sonoma-Cutrer's home ranch, occupies a former sea bottom with sandy hillside soils mixed with decomposing fossilized shells. Both vineyards enjoy cool nights and warm, sunny days.

Within each "Grand Cru" vineyard, Adams' team identifies subplots consistently producing top quality fruit. Les Pierres Vineyard alone yields 30 lots for separate fermentation. After selecting the best to make the final vineyard designated wine, Adams blends the remaining "declassified" lots along with "declassified" Cutrer Vineyard lots to add richness and balance into Sonoma-Cutrer's estate-grown Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.

For the best of Burgundy inspiration and Sonoma fruit interpreted with Adams' sure hand, enjoy the following with either poultry or salmon:

2006 Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (4434, $24.99) Recommended.

2004 Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, Les Pierres Chardonnay (Specialty 16485, $43.99): Highly recommended.