Winemaker Notes
Blend: 63% Sauvignon Gris, 37% Sauvignon Blanc
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 White Blend Elevage Blanc checks in as a barrel-fermented blend of 63% Sauvignon Gris and 37% Sauvignon Blanc. Bordeaux Blanc-like notes of honeyed lemon, pineapple, chalky minerality, and a kiss of toasted nuts all flow to a medium-bodied, concentrated white with a layered, balanced mouthfeel and a great finish. It's a rich, concentrated, yet incredibly well-balanced white that will absolutely shine on the dinner table.
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James Suckling
Waxy lemons, pears, grapefruit peel and crushed herbs on the nose. Polished with an oily texture and a medium body. Firm, minty finish. 63% sauvignon gris and 37% sauvignon blanc.
Situated on the famed Silverado Trail in Napa Valley's renowned Stags Leap District, Chimney Rock is recognized as one of the world's premier fine wine producers. Chimney Rock was established in 1984 with the goal of creating wines that emulate the quintessence of Stags Leap District and epitomize dualities of power and grace and finesse and muscle. The estate's location in the Stags Leap District, Napa Valley's smallest and most acclaimed sub-appellation, allows winemaker, Elizabeth Vianna to capture this unique terroir and create wines that rival the most important wines of the world. Chimney Rock is a Terlato Family winery and embodies the family's dedication to producing wines of exceptional quality.
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.