Winemaker Notes
Taking advantage of a more traditional climate for this grape than our cool climate Lafond Vineyard, Bruce is also mindful of the importance of carrying on the style he developed over the years from the Musque clone of Sauvignon Blanc previously grown at our vineyard.
McGinley and Grassini Vineyards are located in Santa Barbara's newest appellation, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, a warmer area known for producing exceptional Bordeaux varietals.
The 2008 vintage also contains 8% Riesling from Fess Parker's Camp 4 Vineyard, which adds a tropical fruit accent. Roughly 40% of the fruit comes from vines in excess of 36 years old, lending depth and concentration.
Bruce barrel fermented 20% of the juice in puncheons to give texture to the lean character of this wine without compromising the racy acids naturally found in Sauvignon Blanc.
Our Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect wine to pair with light or spicy foods found in Pacific Rim cuisine, a favorite with the Thai cuisine we find at Zen Yai restaurant located near the winery on State Street.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A beautiful Sauvignon Blanc that shows why this warmish Santa Barbara County valley is such a natural home for the variety. With crisp acidity and a creamy texture, it's dry and minerally, with interestingly rich flavors of citrus fruits, melons and pears, and a touch of smoky oak. Editors' Choice.
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 largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.