Kukkula Aatto 2021

Kukkula Aatto 2021

Kukkula’s Award-Winning Counoise-Led Blend

Kukkula – Finnish for “the hill” or “high place” – is the family estate of Finnish-American winemaker Kevin Jussila and his wife Paula on the west side of Paso Robles. Their steep, north-facing hillside vineyards in the Adelaida District rise to around 1,500–1,900 feet and are farmed organically and without irrigation, giving Rhône-style wines that balance California ripeness with real freshness. Most of the wines carry Finnish names – a tribute to Kevin’s roots.

Aatto means “eve” in Finnish – the wine is named after Kevin’s late father, who was born on Christmas Eve. Unusually, it is built around the rare Rhône grape Counoise, with Mourvèdre and Grenache. Aatto is Kukkula’s calling card: the 2015 vintage was named one of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s Top 100 wines of 2018, and the 2014 was crowned overall Wine of the Year at Finland’s Wines of the Year competition in 2020.

🍷 Tasting Notes

Bright red fruit – cherry, raspberry and cranberry – with savoury herbs, a hint of olive and lively acidity that keeps the medium-to-full body fresh. Five years on, the 2021 has found its balance: the tannins have softened and fruit and oak have knitted together. Drinking beautifully now, with further cellaring potential.

🍽️ Food Pairing

Pork chops, rosemary ham, lamb, duck, mushroom dishes – and, fittingly, the Finnish Christmas table.

📋 Details

• Producer: Kukkula, Adelaida District, Paso Robles, California
• Grapes: Counoise, Mourvèdre, Grenache (blend varies by vintage)
• Vintage: 2021
• Serve at: 16–18 °C