Blue Rock Baby Blue Blanc 2020
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Winemaker Notes
A luminescent pale straw hue nearly makes you salivate on its own, only to be outdone by gorgeous aromas of lime, kiwi and Asian pear with subtle notes of chamomile and a touch of exotic floral perfume. This continues on the palate with honeydew and passion fruit joining the crisp citrusy flavors, all carried beautifully by wonderful acidity for a long and satisfying finish. While light and refreshing, it offers enough body and length to be a good sipper both poolside as well as at the table.
Sauvignon Blanc offers a fun and dramatic example of wine and food coming together to make each other just that much better. Fruits de mer is a perfect place to start, from scallops, prawns, clams and mussels to just about any sushi, grilled whitefish or a nice petrale sole sautéed in butter, lemon and capers. A little spice also plays wonderfully well with SB, such as Thai, Vietnamese and Mexican fare. And for that warm evening out on the porch, a tomato basil panzanella or anything topped with a tropical fruit salsa will hit all the right notes.
Blend: 93.3% Sauvignon Blanc, 5.4% Semillon,1.3% Viognier
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This sauvignon includes a small amount of viognier and semillon. While the percentages are too small to suggest the pale grain character of young semillon, or the creamy, orange-oil depths of viognier, both of those varietal characteristics are present. And both are mastered by the sauvignon blanc, which keeps the wine tight, clean and fresh.
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine leads with 96% Sauvignon Blanc, with light additions of Viognier and Sémillon. Grassy, herbal and earthy, it is smooth and high-toned on the palate, bright and persistent in wet stone, citrus and oyster shell.
Other Vintages
2017-
Robert
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Blue Rock is a historic, private destination in the heart of the Sonoma/Napa wine country. The winery, vineyard, and gardens were established in the 1880s by Italian immigrants. Originally named Villa Maria, the winery did not survive Prohibition. Other families attempted to farm the property, but it fell into foreclosure in the late 1980s.
Kenny and Cheryl Kahn came upon the rundown estate in 1987 and promptly fell in love with the beauty of the hillside location and the bucolic Alexander Valley. The estate suffered from years of neglect, and the derelict vineyard needed replanting. Kenny and Cheryl have spent 32 years renovating the original winery and estate cottage, as well as establishing winemaking and production facilities. The Winery, guesthouse, and gardens have now been upgraded to a true \ luxury standard and with the singular vision of creating a world-class wine estate in the European tradition.
Blue Rock is family-owned, family-farmed and certified sustainable. The name originates from the soil studded with blue pebbles, rocks, and boulders of serpentine. The serpentine rock contributes to the unique flavor and aromatic profile of the wines deriving from the vineyard. Comprised of 40 acres, the certified sustainable vineyard is planted to the five Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec, and Syrah. Vineyard work and harvest are done by hand, with attention to detail and process. Our workers are full-time and enjoy a year-round relationship with the vines which makes for better quality.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.