Winemaker Notes
Our 2010 Estate Sauvignon Blanc is a blend consisting of 42% from the original Sauvignon Blanc vineyard planted in 1959, 32% is from our planting of a very rare and special clone and 26% is from our seventeen year old hillside vineyard. Only 22% of this blend is barrel fermented which gives this wine its complexity and round texture. The rest is tank fermented to preserve its intense varietal character and firm acidity.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
oe Rochioli planted what is now his oldest block of sauvignon blanc in 1959, using plant material he selected from an old UC Davis experimental station in Napa Valley. Those vines provide the backbone for this wine, blended with younger vines propagated from the original planting. It's rich, round and spicy when first opened, with an edge of lemon-lime to cut the fatness (20 percent of the wine is fermented and aged in oak). Give it a day of air and the wine drives forward into passionfruit and lively stone-fruit flavors. It's clean, open and bright, a zesty sauvignon to serve with any roast fish.
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.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.