Winemaker Notes
A beautifully balanced and multi-layered blend of white varietals that offers well-rounded flavors of grapefruit, Meyer lemon, yellow peach and spice. Sauvignon Blanc anchors the wine with bold flavors and zesty acidity, while the Chardonnay brings a creamy mouthfeel and notes of ripe pear and apple. Malvasia gives the wine its alluring notes of citrus flower and jasmine.
This is a delicious rendering of Soliloquy from an extraordinary vintage, an age-worthy white that can carry its own with a robust meal.
Blend: 73% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Chardonnay, 15% Malvasia
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on Sauvignon Blanc (the Soliloquy clone) but with splashes of Chardonnay and Vermentino, the 2021 Soliloquy is outstanding stuff. Loaded with ripe citrus and pineapple fruit as well as a kiss of floral nuance, it's medium-bodied, has a bright spine of acidity, and terrific overall balance.
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James Suckling
Aromas of fresh pineapple, grapefruit and crushed peach. Medium-bodied with lemony acidity and rounded stone fruit coming through. Nice texture and weight.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 73% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Malvasia and 12% Chardonnay, the 2021 Soliloquy boast a white Graves-like nose, with a gentle fume character set against a backdrop of fig, pineapple and citrus. In the mouth, the wine is medium-bodied, silky and reasonably elegant, with a lingering, gently phenolic finish. Best After 2023.
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Wine Spectator
Distinctive and fragrant, with floral notes and tropical accents, along with a spicy, musky note that adds complexity to the core of pear, guava and passionfruit flavors and crisp acidity. Finishes with more floral and candied ginger details.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
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.