Some older vines that had to be ripped out due to disease were not replanted to Sauvignon Blanc, but understandably instead to Cabernet Sauvignon. But for the price, you expect to be wowed, and I wasn’t. Look to CaliforniaSauvignon Blanc may have originated in France but now grows globally, with California winemakers crafting stellar white wines at budget-friendly prices.Suitable for everyday consumption; often good valueProducts deemed unacceptable (receiving a rating below 80 points) are not reviewed. Peach, apricot and wet stone provide richness and complex texture, finishing in a velvety finish of pear. Frankly, I couldn’t focus on the 2012 in my glass because the ridiculous price tag kept flashing in my head. Duckhorn Vineyards has been crafting Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc since 1982. In France, I was mesmerized by the high quality of its Sauvignon Blancs. This is a sublime white—balanced and fruity with a high-toned structure. We can smell the heat, the ripeness, but also – due to the very cool nights – see the amazing freshness in the wine. Reviewers may know general information about a flight to provide context—vintage, variety or appellation—but never the producer or retail price of any given selection.

All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind.

But those vineyard land values have skyrocketed, and the problem, says Petroski, is that wine drinkers are far more willing to pay big bucks for a rich red than a white.Fine Napa sauvignon blancs can be bright, fresh, and citrusy, like the lime-scented, pure Ehlers Estate ($28), which isn’t aged in new oak.

For the past 20 years, I have been a freelancer, writing professionally about wines from around the world, based on visits to wine regions from Napa Valley to Champagne, and virtually every region in Italy. “Napa Sauvignon Blanc has reached world class status in quality if not cachet. Eight of the best California sauvignon blanc wines With so many good sauvignon blanc releases across the state, it’s difficult and subjective to select a few.

Only a few hundred cases of this remarkable wine are produced; this was a true discovery for me, so if you love Sauvignon Blanc, do what you can to find a bottle!When asked if there was a style of Sauvignon Blanc from anywhere in the world he was trying to emulate, Bascaules sums up his thoughts in this manner. Welcome to winemag.com! When possible, products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted.Ratings reflect what our editors felt about a particular product.

This Reserve Fumé is produced from some older vines that date back to 1960, making it the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vineyard in Napa Valley; the wine is extremely rich on the palate, with great style and persistence, along with classic varietal character.For years, other Napa producers took a less aggressive attitude towards the variety, and the results were well made wines that highlighted the melon and spearmint notes of a warm climate Sauvignon Blanc. His 2016 Sauvignon Blanc is a beautifully made effort that offers inviting aromas of dried pear, melon and tea leaf, backed by excellent depth of fruit and good acidity; it is a distinctive wine that adds to the lustre of Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc as a wine that can stand on its own, without having to lean on France for its qualities.________________________________________________________________________________So Sauvignon Blanc is on the rise in Napa Valley, but what about its future? This allows us to harvest the grapes with ripe flavors at lower sugar and higher acid levels resulting in very crisp wines with moderate alcohol." A blend of grapes from vineyards in both Rutherford and Oakville have developed the aromatic notes of stone fruit and herbs associated with this youthful wine.

Over the years, Mondavi decided to produce several versions of Fumé Blanc, and today, along with a Napa Valley offering, which has a subtle grassy character, the winery has an essential Fumé Blanc from the To-Kalon vineyard that is situated directly behind the winery. Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley Girard Winery ジラード ワイナリー 私達のソーヴィニョン・ブラン造りの毎年のゴールは、ブドウの個性である生き生きとして爽やかな白ワインを造る事です。私達は青草の様な個性よりも、よりトロピカルなフルーツのフレーヴァーを持つ畑を求める傾向にあります。

Ripe sauvignon blanc grapes at the To Kalon vineyard, part of the property of the Robert Mondavi Winery. Fine Napa sauvignon blancs can be bright, fresh, and citrusy, like the lime-scented, pure Ehlers Estate ($28), which isn’t aged in new oak.

Cool nighttime harvest, whole-cluster press, and a variety of fermentation vessels—stainless steel tanks, neutral French oak barrels, and a concrete egg—enhance the complexity of this bright, crisp, mineral-driven wine.Sauvignon blanc was the first white grape variety our family planted in 1972 adjacent to the Rutherford winery, and it’s still thriving there today.

"The reputation of Napa Sauvignon Blanc should also improve as the overall acreage of Sauvignon Blanc declines with the removal of poor quality vineyards in favor of keeping only higher quality vines. “It develops with age,” he said.

Call it Napa's other Sauvignon if you will, but the finest examples of this wine are slowly beginning to be appreciated for what they are - notable whites of excellent complexity and style.Much of the credit for this goes to the late Robert Mondavi, who decided to make Sauvignon Blanc a focus when he opened his winery in Oakville in 1966. "Close understands that Sauvignon Blanc has a ways to go before it is thought of in the same manner at Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa, but he notes, "don’t underestimate the passion that we and many of our neighbors have for this grape. Yet the latter is increasing.

In Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon is clearly king.