Peju Winery Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2003
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2019-
James
Suckling -
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Wilfred
Wong
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Tasting
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Tasting
Panel
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Wine
Enthusiast
When Tony and Herta “H.B.” Peju relocated to Rutherford Napa Valley from Los Angeles in 1983, they brought with them a vision of building a winery, an unwavering work ethic, and two young daughters who soaked in their parents’ entrepreneurial spirit and love for Napa’s beautiful farmland. They established Peju Winery and dedicated themselves to welcoming guests and crafting exceptional wines from Napa Valley. Peju remains family-owned with Tony and HB’s two daughters Lisa and Ariana guiding the business today. Lisa and Ariana are bringing fresh ideas while maintaining the meticulous focus on quality that began nearly 40 years ago.
The family owns and sustainably farms six estate vineyards in Napa Valley ranging from Carneros, Napa’s coolest growing region, all the way north to Calistoga. Rare in today’s wine industry, the family’s careful oversight of its estate vineyards assures quality from grape to glass. Peju’s 30-acre Rutherford Estate was certified organic in 2007 by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and in 2019 all six of their vineyard properties were certified under the Fish Friendly Farming program. With its landmark tower, warm hospitality, and award-winning wines Peju is a celebrated place to visit in Napa Valley.
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.