Winemaker Notes
The Elevage Blanc blend challenges the typical conception of white wines with its age-worthiness and its balanced richness. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris, this wine is bursting with spicy tropical fruit aromas and bright citrus flavors, while still possessing a lush mid-palate that is adept at enhancing most every meal.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A fresh, crisp and agile white with lemon rind, dried herbs and dried spices. Medium body with a vibrant energy throughout and a lively, mellow finish. Sauvignon blanc and sauvignon gris.
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Wine Spectator
This complex, aromatic and elegant white offers generous notes of ripe peach, dried pineapple, tangerine and melon, sprinkled with crunchy sea salt. The texture is lush and practically creamy, with lingering details of candied ginger and custard. Sauvignon Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now. 1,007 cases made.
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
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.