Joseph Jewell Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Other Vintages
2009-
Wine
Enthusiast
Joseph Jewell Wines started in a garage in Windsor, California in 2006, when two good friends, Micah Joseph Wirth and Adrian Jewell Manspeaker, created their first wine, a Pinot Noir. The 2006 Pinot Noir crop in Northern California was a large one, and several vineyards had grapes to spare. Adrian and Micah considered several options, and finally sourced a ton of grapes from the Toboni Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. They invested in two French Oak barrels and a small basket press…and they were on their way to a very successful first vintage, producing 50 cases of a full-bodied, rich Pinot Noir.
While they were washing out their barrels at the Gary Farrell Winery one day, they tossed around ideas for a name for their fledgling winery. They wanted something that represented them both, yet also had a connection to each of them individually. Combining their middle names, Joseph Jewell rolled off their tongues. They created an elegant coat of arms for their logo and a distinctive label and bottle to match the quality of their wines.
Since that first Pinot Noir, they’ve created several wines, including Russian River Valley Appian Way Pinot Noir, Dry Creek Valley Grist Zinfandel, and Alexander Valley Redwood Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, all with distinct noses and finishes that reflect their unique style of winemaking.
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.