Winemaker Notes
A fanfare of passionfruit, apricot, pear, white peach, jasmine, white rose and lemon blossom announce the expressive nose of the 2023 L'Après-Midi. A lively entry with juicy acidity and a creamy mouthfeel leads to a highly concentrated, structured mid-palate. This Sauvignon Blanc possesses great body and drive with impressive length, all while exhibiting an effortless balance and level of refinement.
Blend: 96% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Sémillon
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc L'Apres-Midi includes 4% Semillon and is a bright silver straw color. The nose opens to refreshing aromas of lime blossoms, candied citrus, salted earth, and tarragon. The palate has more compact nervous energy, with a mouthwatering spine of acidity driving the charge. It’s going to take time for its silky, rounded feel to flesh out.
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James Suckling
A brilliant, tangy, fresh and lively white whose vivid mineral, citrus and herbal flavors make a refreshing, appetizing blend. Crisp acidity braces lemon, lime and grapefruit flavors with subtle oak undertones. A nice blend of fruit, dried thyme, white pepper and light toast flavors. Contains 4% semillon.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Grapes for the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc L’Après-Midi were picked from September 21 through November 2—an especially long harvest window. “It was a special year because everything was pushed back,” Winemaker Robert Fiore says, noting that the cooler season resulted in very lively wines. Blended with 4% Sémillon, the 2023 L’Après-Midi is open and inviting. Pineapple, peach and guava are accented by tones of beeswax, dried tarragon and candle smoke on the nose. The palate is bursting with concentrated, tropical, spicy flavors. Its vibrant acidity provides the perfect foil, lending the wine a shimmery feel, and it has a long, perfumed finish.
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Wine Spectator
A mix of honeysuckle, lemon cream, persimmon puree and toasted coconut is lush and juicy, adding complexity to the core of citrus flavors, plus dried mango and apricot notes. Additional details of marmalade, grilled peach and green tea linger on the finish, while the acidity keeps all of the flavors fresh and in focus. Drink now through 2036. 2,350 cases made.
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.
A small and picturesque valley separating Napa Valley on its south border and Alexander Valley to its north, Knights Valley excels in similar varieties as the two aforementioned appellations, namely red Bordeaux varieties and blends, as well as Sauvignon blanc. Originally established by Beringer Vineyards, today several outstanding producers claim acreage here. The circadian cooling effects of the nearby Pacific Ocean create a nighttime respite for vineyards during the hot growing season.