Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Brought up all in barrels, the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc D is a more complex, serious effort revealing beautiful crushed lime, honeyed fig, white flowers, and subtle brioche aromas and flavors. With medium to full-bodied richness, a textured, balanced mouthfeel, good acidity, and a crisp finish, it's well worth seeking out and should have a decade or more of drinkability.
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Wine Enthusiast
Very light and delicate aromas of Pink Lady apple, red pear and the slightest waft of bubble gum show on the nose of this bottling from the McGinley and Grassini vineyards. There's a great grip to the sip, where lemon-skin and red-apple flavors converge.
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.