Ghost Block MorgaenLee Sauvignon Blanc 2013
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Other Vintages
2016-
Wilfred
Wong
-
Wilfred
Wong
The Pelissa family has been fortunate to own and farm vineyards in Napa Valley for over 100 years. As 5th generation grape-growers, their hearts will always be in the vineyards, where the life of a wine begins. That’s why all 635 acres of their grapes are 100% certified organically-farmed. Ghost Block Estate Wines is their way of taking grape-growing one step further. Utilizing fruit from their family estate vineyards in the prized Oakville and Yountville appellations, we create high quality Napa Valley wines that are accessible to everyone. The wines possess an unwavering commitment to quality, a farming legacy that has lasted over a century, and their family’s longtime, unique heritage in Napa Valley.
The Ghost Block Single Vineyard wines are created from the highest quality fruit from their family’s four finest organically-farmed vineyards, including the MorgaenLee and Ghost Block Vineyards in the Yountville AVA and the Pelissa and Rock Cairn Vineyards in the Oakville AVA. Crafted in extremely limited quantities by their longtime, talented Winemaker Kristi Koford, Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignons are extraordinary, collectible wines representing the pinnacle of the Pelissa family legacy.
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.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.