Winemaker Notes
97% Griva Sauvignon Blanc 3% Griva Semillon
Our Griva Sauvignon Blanc was 100% stainless steel fermented at cool temperatures to enhance and protect the aromas and flavors of this unique vineyard. The Semillon was fermented in older neutral French oak barrels to add a note of richness and complexity.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A very beautiful Sauvignon Blanc, without any disagreeable green notes, although it does carefully tread the line. Shows the Arroyo Seco's crisp acidity, with tart, savory flavors of gooseberries, Meyer lemons and minerals. The addition of some Semillon seems to add fat to the bones. A great restaurant wine.
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.
Named after the dramatic, seasonal river of rain and snowmelt that cuts through the upper elevations of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the Arroyo Seco AVA extends east from the resultant mountain gorge, and into the rural and warm Salinas Valley. During the growing season, cool and damp Pacific Ocean air penetrates the gorge and flows into the valley, creating a cool evening respite for vineyards after a hot summer day. This natural water-release has also created a subterranean aquifer, which helps set the foundation of the AVA's boundaries and supplies the vineyards with water.
Arroyo Seco was actually home to the first commercial vineyard in California, called Mission Ranch, which was owned and propogated by the Mirassou family in the 1960s.
Chardonnay is most widely grown here. But as one of Monterey’s warmer regions, Arroyo Seco enjoys the highest praise for its reds, namely Bordeaux blends.
Arroyo Seco is one of the oldest AVAs in California, its status granted in the early 1980s, and also remains one of its smallest.