Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Vivid citrus and snap-pea aromas lead to vibrant fruit flavors and a lively texture in this medium-bodied wine. It has great acidity to refresh the palate, and nicely concentrated lemon, grapefruit and thyme flavors.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: While wine educators are aware that High Valley-Lake County grows excellent Sauvignon Blancs, the general public may not know about the quality of the wine grapes in this AVA. The 2018 High Valley Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc should persuade wine and food lovers to put this area on their radar screens. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits excellent varietal character and a pleasingly soft and dry finish. Its aromas and flavors of ripe melon and bright citrus should pair it well with garlic-accented stir-fried catfish. (Tasted: March 8, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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.
Sitting on the northeast side of the Clear Lake appellation, this warm area boasts multiple soil types that allow growers a lot of flexibility and experimentation with grape varieties. While Sauvignon blanc is a mainstay, this zone excels with Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, as well as other less common varieties like Barbera and Tempranillo.