Winemaker Notes
The 2022 Georgia Sauvignon Blanc is medium straw in color. Intense and lifted, the aromas burst forth with vanillin, white flowers and citrus zest notes. Flavors of white peach, dried apricot and tangerine envelop the palate. There are the hallmark Georgia expressions of minerality, white truffle and toasted brioche filling out the zingy and energetic finish. The oak is beautifully integrated, framing and enhancing this gorgeous wine like a fine painting.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Restrained and seductive, with a lovely balance of mineral freshness and citrus fruit. The palate is tightly wound, with a saline, mouthwatering mouthfeel and a rounded, textural feel supported by a flinty undertone. Fermented in 60% new French oak, which doesn’t show as it’s so well integrated and fresh.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Lail's 2022 Georgia Sauvignon Blanc—picked long before Labor Day's scorching heat wave—features crushed stone notes, a subtle fumé character and fruity hints of lime, tangerine and guava. It's medium to full-bodied, plump and expansive on the palate, revealing plenty of texture and length. The vineyard was originally planted by George Yount in 1839, but the current, dry-farmed vines "only" go back to 1988. Planted to Merlot then, it was grafted over to Sauvignon Blanc in 2006–2007.
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Vinous
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Georgia is terrific, especially in a vintage marked by severe drought. Exotic flowers, chamomile, spice, lemon confit and apricot are some of the notes that grace this textured, creamy Sauvignon Blanc. Vinification in oak and some lees-stirring build resonance. What a beautiful wine.
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Wine Spectator
A distinctive style, with honeysuckle, coconut water and orange blossom notes that are aromatic and distinctive. Offers lemon curd, tangerine and salted, preserved lemon, plus litsea oil for a savory accent on the long, expressive finish, where there’s an intense thread of acidity.
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 Napa Valley's most historic sub-appellations, Yountville spreads through some of the valley's ideal cooler sites and enjoys success with a handful of different and significant grape varieties.
Syrah competes strongly with Cabernet Sauvignon here for optimal vineyard real estate followed by Pinot noir, Pinot blanc and Sauvignon blanc.
This sub-AVA of Napa Valley is rich in the history that makes Napa Valley what it is today, and not just for red wines. Moët & Chandon entered the California winemaking business via Yountville in 1973 with the establishment Domaine Chandon. Their goal has always been to produce top quality méthode champenoise sparkling wines.
Christian Moueix, originally responsible for managing Chateau Petrus and La Fleur-Petrus in Pomerol, arrived in Yountville in the early 1980s. He formed a partnership with Rohin Lail and Marcia Smith, inheritors of Napanook vineyard from their father John Daniel of Inglenook in Rutherford. In 1995 Moueix became sole owner of Napanook and chose the name Dominus, which today produces some of Napa’s highest scoring, age-worthy Bordeaux Blends.