Winemaker Notes
Golden straw green tinged, bright and shiny. Sweet vanilla notes with marmalade (orange, fig, and peach) aromas complemented by creamy notes, brioche, white florals and marula fruit. An expansive complex expression of Sauvignon Blanc with savory elements, great natural acidity balanced with fruit and nuances of oak. The texture of the wine is full, powerful, and persistent with the lees and wood complementing the strong fresh fruit in this perfect example of how great Sauvignon Blanc can be.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
Just bottled, the 2020 Sauvignon Blanc D is a bright, tightly-wound wine. Vinification and aging in oak adds texture, but little of that comes through today, even in this warm, radiant year. Readers will have to be patient. There is certainly plenty to look forward to. Rating: 92+
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Wine Enthusiast
Spicy aromas of cut grass, grapefruit peel and crushed finger lime show on the nose of this bottling. There's a firm rocky tension and earthy flavor streak to the palate, where rainy cement elements meet with warmer tones of apple and green pear.
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Wine Spectator
A vibrant example, offering a juicy mouthful of Meyer lemon, white grapefruit and lemongrass flavors on a light, breezy frame, with notes of sea salt and green apple skin on the finish. Drink now.
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.