New entry in the canned wine category a keeper
Simply Cutrer is the newest entry into the canned wine category and among the best I've tasted. With tempting stone fruit and melon aromas introducing a palate of perfectly ripe fruit, it's a delicious example of why Chardonnay is the world's favorite white wine. Unoaked and dry (with a low 4 grams per liter of sugar), the wine is a lively mouthful with a delicate spritz. While well-made, it's a refreshing wine "for drinkin', not for thinkin'" - unless you're thinkin' about supporting our natural environment.
Not too long ago on wine's timeline, most wine was sold in bulk, packaged in reusable containers such as barrels, terra cotta amphorae and the to-go water bottle of the millennia - a spare animal stomach. In the 1600s, the finest wine was reserved for cork-stopped glass bottles, allowing gentle oxidation and slow maturation. That changed in the 1980s with California's "fighting varietals." Winemakers capitalized on an abundance of juice that was too good for popular grape blends but not up to the high-priced, oaky single-grape wines that catapulted California into international stardom. Canny producers like Glen Ellen lured drinkers with low-low $3.99 price tags (the "fighting" part) coupled with brand names like "Proprietor's Reserve" Chardonnay, with once prestigious 750-milliliter bottles to differentiate from generics like "California Chablis" sold in 1-, 3- and 5-liter jugs.
Today, all these bottles are the industry's bane - expensive to ship, costly to produce and even more expensive to recycle, with local and national recycling opportunities varying widely. In 2018, glass containers accounted for 5.2% of all trash in landfills, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). So, in a necessarily earth-friendly industry, "alternative packaging" is the current byword. Boxed, kegged and canned wines are increasing in quantity and, more importantly, quality, now featured at fine restaurants and shops and attracting consumers interested in reducing their carbon footprint.
Simply Cutrer is produced by California's Sonoma-Cutrer and does not take its provenance lightly. In 1981, Sonoma-Cutrer defined itself as a Chardonnay-only property (with Pinot Noir production beginning in 2002) and introduced many wine lovers (including myself) to Sonoma County. Suppose you were drinking wine in that era. In that case, you'll recognize the label: Sonoma-Cutrer's "Russian River Ranches" selection was the No. 1 or No. 2 top-selling wine-by-the-glass in restaurants for 30 years, according to the annual Wines & Spirits Magazine Restaurant Poll. Cara Morrison has recently taken on the role of Director of Winemaking, just the fourth since inception, and vows to continue the property's tradition of beautifully crafted, food-friendly wines.
True to this goal, Simply Cutrer is a flavorful cocktail that complements lighter, picnic-y fare like stuffed eggs and cow's milk cheese, especially when seasoned with truffles. The wine is medium-bodied (13.9% alcohol) but with enough acidity to enhance richer dishes like fried chicken or my homemade red lentil stew flavored with cumin.
The suggested retail price is $19.99 for four 250ml cans. Ask for Simply Cutrer at wine shops in the city and suburbs, such as Garfield's (Palatine), Schaefer's (Skokie) and Foodsmart (Chicago). Simply Cutrer is distributed in Illinois by Breakthru Beverage, Cicero.
• Mary Ross is an Advanced Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers), a Certified Wine Educator (Society of Wine Educators) and recipient of the Wine Spectator's "Grand Award of Excellence." Write to her at food@dailyherald.com.