Rutz Cellars Winery News Home

2004 Rutz Cellars Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($45) Owner Keith Rutz seeks outstanding parcels in Sonoma, and he has worked with this one for 15 years, creating a wine that nods at the Burgundian style Rutz loves. This wine offsets savory notes with sweet, syrupy fruit and beautiful mint highlights. The peacock-tail finish is the masterstroke here, a flourish that goes on and on.

ONLY 3 STAR RATED CLICK HERE FOR PRINTER VERSION

"No surprise, that this was one of the few wines in the flight that demonstrated true Pinot Noir-like characteristics, which earned it extra points. Hints of soy sauce and cola with charred leaf, dense strawberry and black cherry. It’s got a big, chewy presence with solid grip and a zesty note at the end. Packs a wallop, but the layers show off terrific fruit quality. This was the only wine to earn three stars."

Jon Bonné, San Francisco Chronicle, April 20, 2007

"Many California wineries talk about making wine in a Burgundian style, but owner-winemaker Keith Rutz - who has worked with the vineyard block for 15 years - delivers the goods. This wine has great savory secondary characteristics like leather and orange peel, and reveals more and more raspberry fruit with air. It’s balanced and intriguing and tastes like Pinot Noir should.

W. Blake Gray, San Francisco Chronicle, April 27, 2007

Wine Enthusiast gives high marks to six Rutz Cellars wines
The December 1, 2003 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine includes reviews of six Rutz Cellars chardonnays and pinot noirs. All of our wines scored 90 points or better (three 90s, one 91, and two 92s). Even more exciting, our 2001 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir was named an Editor's Choice, and the 2000 Maison Grand Cru Pinot Noir was named one of the Top 100 Wines of the Year. Read the reviews here

Rutz Becomes Only By-The-Glass Pinot at Smith & Wollensky's 16 Restaurants
In an agreement that will begin in August, Rutz Cellars will become the exclusive by-the-glass Pinot Noir at the 16 restaurants owned by the Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group. The original Smith & Wollensky Steakhouse, founded in 1977, is currently the top grossing a la carte restaurant in the country. In addition to the New York restaurant, there are Smith & Wollensky Steakhouses in Miami Beach, Chicago, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Dallas, and Houston. The group also operates seven other restaurants in New York including Cite, Maloney & Porcelli, Manhattan Ocean Club, ONEc.p.s., Park Avenue Cafe, and The Post House.

2003 Winemaker Dinners
Keith is out touring the country, hosting Winemaker Dinners in some of our favorite cities. Find out how chefs across the country are pairing Rutz Cellars wines with their favorite cuisines. Click here for more details.

Rutz Cellars Wins Gold at Chronicle Wine Competition
In February, over 2500 Northern California wines competed in 40 different categories at the 20th Annual San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Rutz Cellars is proud to announce that all four of our entries won medals in their category. Click here for more details.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine Gives Rutz Cellars Editor's Choice
The September 2002 Wine Enthusiast Buyer's Guide included reviews of several Rutz Cellars wines. We were very pleased to appear in the guide, and even more pleased by the scores we received. Two of our wines rated 91 points from the judges, and one scored a gratifying 92 points. The 1999 Maison Grand Cru Chardonnay and The 1999 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir were also awarded an Editor's Choice. Click here for the text of the reviews.

Rutz Cellars takes off... to Pinot Paradise
The May issue of American Way - the in-flight magazine of American Airlines - featured a prominent article by noted wine writer Anthony Dias Blue. In the article, he profiled his three favorite Russian River Pinot Noirs, and guess who was on the list? This magazine is available world-wide, on all of American's flights, and it is estimated that 8.3 million people will have it in front of them while they cruise along at 30,000 feet.

Winemaker's Dinner Big Hit At Taste Of Vail Festival
Keith was on hand to host a winemaker's dinner at Tyrolean Restaurant in Vail, CO, on April 4th. The dinner was one of twenty that were happening at the 12th Annual Taste of Vail Festival. This four day event brings in thousands of people every year for wine lectures and panels, dining and entertainment.

Rutz Cellars Hosts Winemaker Dinners
Keith Rutz, proprietor of Rutz Cellars, toured Florida in late January, with stops in Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and Fort Meyers. He hosted two Winemaker Dinners, including one at Keylime Bistro on Captiva Island, and visited some of Central Florida's best restaurants - including many that serve Rutz Cellars wines.

Family Winemakers of California - Tasting 2001
On November 13, 2001, 300+ wineries (including Rutz Cellars) and 3,000 trade, media, and consumers will come to Fort Mason in San Francisco to celebrate FWC's 11th annual tasting -- "Tasting 2001". It's a superb event defined by the vast array of family wineries and the craftsmanship embodied in their wines.

Rutz Cellars Helps Honor Czech Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman, and Czech Ambassador to the United States Martin Palous, were honored November 5th, at a reception in Silicon Valley hosted by CzechTech, a non-profit trade group helping Czechs and Czech-Americans in the high tech industry. Rutz Cellars provided the wine for the reception, and Keith presented the Prime Minister with a bottle of Rutz Cellars' finest.

Fall Releases
On August 13, we released the 1998 vintage Chardonnay, and the 1999 Pinot Noir for sale to distributors. These wines have been developing slowly in the bottle, and are now at their peak. They were well-reviewed by both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, and should be appearing on shelves and in restaurants soon.

Bottling 2000
The 2000 vintage went into the bottle on August 13-20. It looks (and tastes) like this will be a banner year for Rutz Cellars wines. Take a look at what went on during those six frantic days.

Winery Luncheon for the Sonoma Barrel Auction
Rutz Cellars hosted 70 people for lunch on Friday, July 13, as part of the Sonoma Barrel Auction. We talked chef Keith Luce of Plumpjack Cafe in San Francisco into providing the meal. Guests could enjoy the beautiful, sunny, Sonoma day outside, or the cool, candle-lit interior of our cave while sampling some of Rutz Cellars' best wines.