Winemaker Notes
Brilliant pale yellow hues present this white blend. Aromas offer notes of pink grapefruit, lemon butter, and kiwi with an undercurrent of seductive toasted French oak. Flavors of kumquat, lemongrass, grapefruit zest, and dried peaches are focused and encouraged with the hint of creamy, toasted oak. This is a terrific wine with great texture.
Blend: 54% Semillon, 46% Sauvignon Blanc
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 St. Supéry Virtú is an outstanding blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. TASTING NOTES: This wine is lavish, yet not overpowering. It deftly combines heady aromas of earth and ripe fruit and offers a palate of substantial richness. Pair it with breaded and fried oysters wrapped in bacon. (Tasted: May 1, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
A whiff of spicy, peppery smoke weaves in and out, adding complexity to the melon, peach and citrus flavors at the core. The acidity provides refreshing tension, finishing on a note of nutmeg. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now. 700 cases made.
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.