Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine & Spirits
If you've never been blown away by a California sauvignon blanc, you owe it to yourself to taste this wine. Over half of the fruit comes from an old vineyard that Joe Rochioli, Jr., planted in 1959; it's now farmed by his son Tom. Old vines, as well as the sunny, temperate climate and stony soil along the banks of the Russian River, drew the fruit to a precise, focused intensity in 2016. You'll find ripe, luscious flavors of papaya and peach -- even redder tones of wild strawberry -- tied to a profound sense of mineral depth. For all of its power, the fruit remains vivid and mouthwatering, as pure as spring water.
-
Wine Enthusiast
This is a beautifully exotic and delicate wine with steely minerality and subdued power. Full of lemony flavor, it complementarily exudes fresh tangerine and grapefruit peel, enwrapping its nuanced fruit with floral highlights.
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.