Vineyards
Our Sauvignon Blanc grapes come from throughout Napa Valley, with a large concentration from our estate vineyards in Rutherford, Calistoga and Carneros.  The superb fruit from these sites allows us to produce a full-bodied, crisp and complex Sauvignon Blanc boasting distinctive varietal character.  In 2010, as in past vintages, we blended in small amounts of Semillon (which enriches the wine’s mid-palate, softens its acidity and contributes a pleasing citrus tone) and Sauvignon Musqué, an aromatic clone of Sauvignon Blanc that adds a bright, floral note to the wine’s bouquet.   

Vintage 2010
2010 was the latest in a string of cooler-than-normal growing seasons in Napa Valley.  The season began with substantial rainfall, which pushed back bud break, flowering and grape set by several weeks.  After an especially cool summer, heat spikes in late August kick-started full ripening.  Cooler temperatures returned in early September, but classic Indian summer weather yielded grapes with mature, concentrated flavors at lower alcohol levels, resulting in a bevy of beautifully structured wines with fresh, elegant flavors.

Winemaking
We harvest our Sauvignon Blanc grapes at night, when the vines are in full repose, to fully capture their fresh, concentrated varietal flavors, crisp acidity and ideal sugar-acid balance.  Whole-cluster-pressing of the fruit immediately upon arrival at the winery maximizes varietal intensity while minimizing the extraction of astringent compounds from the skins.   In 2010, we tank-fermented 88% of the juice while fermenting 12% in neutral oak barrels.  Subsequently, 87% of the wine spent five months aging in neutral French oak barrels, which enriched its texture while optimizing varietal expression. 

Tasting Notes
Due to the coolness of the vintage, our 2010 Sauvignon Blanc is especially fresh, crisp and vibrant, offering bright honeydew melon, pink grapefruit, gooseberry and vanilla aromas and rich, mouthwatering, citrus, nectarine and melon flavors.  An ideal apèritif wine, it also beautifully accompanies a wide and diverse range of foods, from shellfish and lighter seafood dishes to roast chicken, Caesar Salad and pasta primavera.  Enjoy it over the next 1-2 years.