Winemaker Notes
A very complex and evolving nose that starts with a delicate Meyer lemon flower, which leads you to the layers of tropical fruits like passionfruit, pineapple as well as peaches and cream. Delivering everything the nose plus some... The tastebuds are initially tantalized with intense rich bright tropical fruits, peaches and cream. The fruit is so opulent and juicy that it coats the mouth and is framed with some lovely minerality on the finish leaving the mouth salivating for more.
Blend: 98% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Sauvignon Gris
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Stunning, this exuberant, generous version shows notes of passion fruit, Key lime, dried pineapple and orange blossoms, along with grated ginger. Reveals a hint of sea salt minerality on the long, expressive finish, where toasted herb accents linger.
-
Tasting Panel
AJT is named for the man who started it all: founder Anthony J. Terlato. From the winery's estate vineyard, this ethereal white aged in 30% new French oak, 40% neutral oak, and 30% stainless steel. It whispers of rosemary, laurel, and green tea. Lime zest glitters with a clean mineral tone and bright acidity.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc AJT Collection is also terrific. More melon, honeyed citrus, and sappy herb notes define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, with bright, racy acidity, good mid-palate depth, and a great finish. As with the Vermentino, it's impeccably made and well worth drinking.
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.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.