Blackbird Vineyards Dissonance 2018
-
Wilfred
Wong -
Robert
Parker -
Wine &
Spirits
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Blackbird Vineyards Dissonance is authentic and delicious. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows aromas and flavors of dried melon, dried herbs, and earth. Enjoy it with grilled oysters in a piquant Meyer lemon sauce. (Tasted: May 22, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 88% Sauvignon Blanc and 12% Semillon coming from Hudson Vineyard, the 2018 Dissonance features intense scents of fresh lemon juice, grapefruit, lime leaves and coriander seed with hints of honeysuckle and musk perfume. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers super-charged vivacity with bags of citrus fruit flavors and a racy backbone, finishing long and mineral laced.
-
Wine & Spirits
Aaron Pott gets the sauvignon blanc for this wine from the Hudson Vineyard in Carneros, while the blend’s 12 percent of semillon comes from a site in Knights Valley. He ferments and ages most of it in clay amphorae; one-third ferments and ages in new French oak barrels. The oak char from the barrels is apparent, but doesn’t get in the way of the mellow abrasion of the lemony fruit. The wine feels broad and elegant, with a radish-like spice that sets it up for Dungeness crab.
Other Vintages
2020-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wilfred
Wong
-
Wilfred
Wong
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.