Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The aromas of dried pineapple and limes is so intense and perfumed. Full-bodied, deep and layered with beautiful, bright acidity and a linear and bright finish. Shows intention and precision. Very exciting. Dash of semillon in this. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc is 14% Sémillon and 4% Musque clone, with the rest made up of Sauvignon Blanc. The nose offers up expressive green guava, fresh pineapple and green apple scents with hints of honeysuckle, white peaches and chalk dust plus a waft of coriander seed. Medium-bodied with a lovely satiny texture, the palate delivers mouth-filling tropical and stone fruit flavors with great freshness and a compelling chalkiness to the finish.
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Wine Spectator
Mixes power with grace, offering supple Key lime and passion fruit flavors that are mouthwatering and intense, set on a smooth, sleek frame, with lingering details of lemon verbena and freshly grated ginger.
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.