Picket Fence Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2012
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Picket Fence also reunites old friends, vineyard manager Pete Opatz and winemaker Don Van Staaveren, two wine legends who have crafted some of Sonoma County's most highly acclaimed wines. Pete brings intimate knowledge of the Russian River appellation and cultivates flavorful grapes that fully express the exceptional characteristics found in our Picket Fence vineyards. Don blends these grapes to reveal their true essence, creating luscious wines with the classic Russian River profile of richness and balance.
Created in small lots, Picket Fence Chardonnay and Pinot Noir celebrate our passion for the Russian River Valley and our sentiment that wine is a way of bringing family and friends together.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.