Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Bodkin Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, the first bottling since 2013, is like a liquid pineapple upside down cake in a glass. Pineapple flavors stacked on deck with a lovely viscosity brought by 15.3% residual sugar. While that number may seem staggering, it works alongside the acidity, which keeps the flavors focused and wine from becoming cloying on the pallet.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is supple and decadent, with aromas of honeysuckle, acacia orange and crystallized ginger on the nose. The flavors on the palate are white nectarine, grilled candied orange zest and white grapefruit. Pair with vanilla ice cream.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: There are many choices in the world of dessert wines; the 2021 Bodkin LH Sauvignon Blanc is fascinating and attractive. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with aromas of pineapple and honey. Enjoy its sweetness and lush textures with fresh fruits. (Tasted: December 24, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
Apart from the classics, we find many regional gems of different styles.
Late harvest wines are probably the easiest to understand. Grapes are picked so late that the sugars build up and residual sugar remains after the fermentation process. Ice wine, a style founded in Germany and there referred to as eiswein, is an extreme late harvest wine, produced from grapes frozen on the vine, and pressed while still frozen, resulting in a higher concentration of sugar. It is becoming a specialty of Canada as well, where it takes on the English name of ice wine.
Vin Santo, literally “holy wine,” is a Tuscan sweet wine made from drying the local white grapes Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia in the winery and not pressing until somewhere between November and March.
Rutherglen is an historic wine region in northeast Victoria, Australia, famous for its fortified Topaque and Muscat with complex tawny characteristics.
A multifaceted and highly reputable sub-region of Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley is responsible for a wide range of wine styles—both red and white. One of the smallest AVAs in California, Dry Creek Valley has a winning combination of ideal geography and climate. Fertile, well-drained soils create concentrated varietal character while long, warm days, bookended by cool nights, allow grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness and balance. The warm and welcoming appellation is home to a number of family-owned vineyards and wineries that place a strong emphasis on sustainable farming practices.
Zinfandel reigns supreme here and still produces in a great number of very old vineyards—often 100 years old or older. These old vines create a powerful, voluptuous and sultry wine unlike those of any other region. Sauvignon Blanc, the valley’s signature white grape, also performs exceptionally well. Many other varieties grow comfortably here, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Syrah. Petite Sirah is often found in blends with Zinfandel.