Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Vogelzang Vineyard is an explosively aromatic, texturally seamless Sauvignon Blanc of compelling character and distinctiveness. In fact, it is one of the best domestic Sauvignon Blancs I've ever tasted. Almond, orange oil, peach skin and green herbaceous flourishes make for an intriguing, engaging experience. Round in body, with excellent grip and phenolic ripeness, this is a seriously, seriously impressive effort.
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James Suckling
Compact and ripe with compressed pineapple, passion fruit and citrus oils. Sun-warmed slate and extended acidity. The juxtaposition of fruit and crunchiness is terrifically calibrated.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The most layered and multidimensional of the vineyard-designate Sauvignon Blancs, the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Vogelzang Vineyard matured in a mix of barrique and cigar barrels for 17 months. It offers the most complex profile, seamlessly melding grassy, tropical, citrus and mineral tones that carry throughout the wine. The palate melds oily power with a focused, linear core that runs through the finish, which lingers with waxy nuances and a stony undercurrent.
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.
On the eastern end of the Santa Ynez Valley, the rolling hills of the tiny Happy Canyon AVA produce top quality reds from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and whites from Sauvignon blanc. The region’s low-nutrient soil grows smaller vines and in turn, higher quality wine grapes.