Winemaker Notes
Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc 2021 proves the old adage that smaller is often better. Although yields were less than 50% of normal, the quality in 2021 was exceptional. It shows layered aromas of apricot, tangerine and orange blossoms. The texture is rich with flavors of golden berries, grapefruit, guava and passionfruit. It is delightfully crisp and vibrant, yet with an extra dimension of complexity and varietal typicity. The oak adds special notes of vanillin and brioche. This is a dazzling showing for Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc.
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
An altogether exquisite Sauvignon Blanc that exhibits great range and depth with a marvelous sense of crafted composure, the latest from Lail is among the more sophisticated examples to be had and is, at once, both rich and wonderfully nuanced. If, on the one hand, a generous and involving wine at the moment, it is, on the other, one that has an unmistakable sense of as-yet- untapped reserve that makes us ardent believers in its future. Drink it now if you choose, and you will not be disappointed, but know that it has tremendous potential for even better with time. It is a collectible keeper that will not reach its best until another four or five years have passed.
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Wine Enthusiast
Snappy acidity and subtle flavors make you want to keep diving into this barrel-fermented, vibrant, lightly oaked and full-bodied wine. Minerals, fresh herbs and grapefruit fill the aroma, while tangy lemon, lime and tangerine liven up the palate.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Predominantly sourced from Coombsville, Lail's 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Blueprint boasts attractive notes of grapefruit and passion fruit on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate manages to artfully combine a ripe, silky mid-palate with a long, crisp and refreshing finish. Like the Georgia, this is barrel fermented and aged, but it uses less new oak (40%) and only stays in wood for seven months.
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.
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.