91 Points- Connoisseurs' Guide
Golden yellow with perfect clarity, this clings to the glass after a good swirl displaying its viscous moving legs. Fresh, tropical notes of pineapple, kiwi, and peach followed by melon, lime and fresh apple on the palate. Exceptionally long, this wine’s crisp and balanced acidity makes it the perfect pairing with filet of sole, pork loin and savory goat cheese.
Vintage
High rain fall at the beginning of the season, a mild winter, and then finally transitioned into a beautiful spring. There was an early bud break and flowering, followed by sunny days and high temperatures through June and August.
Vineyard
This Sauvignon Blanc grapes in our American Canyon and Carneros vineyards in the southern tip of Napa Valley, near San Francisco Bay. The clay soils retain water, allowing us to dry farm, and the coolness slows ripening and retains acidity. The grapes develop a crisp liveliness that is impossible to achieve in warmer areas. About 80% of our Sauvignon Blanc is planted to the Musqué clone, which provides elegant floral aromatics. All farmed all our vineyards naturally, without artificial pesticides or herbicides, and they are certified organic.
The Wine
Relying on naturally-occurring yeasts, they fermented a portion of the grapes in 900-gallon French oak casks, called foudres, with the remainder in oak barrels. Then aged the wine for six months on its lees (the spent yeast) in neutral barrels. On the nose, the wine displays fresh, tropical notes of pineapple, kiwi, and peach followed by melon, lime and fresh apple on the palate. The wine’s crisp and balanced acidity makes it the perfect pairing with filet of sole, pork loin and savory goat cheese.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Appellation: Napa Valley Estate
Harvest date: Aug. 25 - Sept. 4, 2017
Sugar: 22.5 Brix (average)
Fermentation: indigenous yeast
Total acid: 7.9 g/L
pH: 3.12
Aging: 6 months on lees inneutral barrels
Type of oak: French oak; 10% neutral barrels, 90% 900-gallon casks
Bottling date: March 2018
Release date: January 2020
90 Points
Ruby-plum core with a light purple rim in the glass. The palate opens with cranberry, cherry fruit and wood spice dominate. Cherry and plum notes pump through with a medium-bodied texture. Smooth tannins and soft finish showcase its layered complexity.
92 Points
Aromas of red raspberry, jammed dark fruit, cinnamon spice and clove. Hints of sliced ripe plum, black tea and lavender oil adds to its complexity. Flavors of blueberry, elderberry, and cranberry are enhanced with oak spice and baking notes from the barrels. These flavors marry with soft tannins for a long and mouthwatering finish.
92 Points
Juicy blackberries and black cherries accented by mint and chocolate. Full-bodied, deeply colored, with a hint of white pepper, dried herbs and toasted bread. Delivers a substantial mid-palate of dark fruits, black tea, baked cherry, fruit preserves and licorice. Sophisticated and sumptuous. A great example of the varietal, brooding with depth and complexity. Notes of toast and oak, with integrated tannins and textural polish on the finish.
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