2009 SAUVIGNON BLANC - WINE NOTES

•GRAPE SOURCING•

Grapes for our Sauvignon Blanc were drawn from primarily from vineyards in the Central Coast’s Monterey and Santa Barbara County regions.  In these growing areas, bright, sunny days and wide day-to-night temperature swings allow the grapes to spend extra hang time on the vine.  These conditions allow grapes to reach full ripeness, creating wines with complex flavors balanced by crisp acidity.  Grapes were also sourced from the vineyards of the Clarksburg region of Northern California where the Sauvignon Blanc grapes produce wines clean and light; balancing well with the Central Coast fruit.

Appellation: 69% Central Coast, 31% Clarksburg

•VINTAGE•

2009 started off with warm and dry weather.  Through most of the rest of the growing season, the weather was on the cooler side, without many heat spikes in July and August, allowing flavor development in the grapes while maintaining good acidity levels. Our grapes were picked early in the harvest, during the last week of August and the first week of September, when a heat spell brought the grapes to full ripeness.  The rains came early, however, when on October 13th, an 18-hour downpour dumped 6-10 inches of rain in coastal growing areas, followed by rain on and off for the remainder of harvest.  There was advance notice of the rains and 75-80% of the grapes were harvested in time.  Our Sauvignon Blanc, harvested well before the rainstorms hit, displays elegance and crispness that are hallmarks of the best wines of this vintage. 

Technical Information: 0.69 TA, 3.28 pH, 13.3% Alc. by Vol.

•WINEMAKING•

The wine was fermented in stainless steel without the use of any oak and with neutral yeasts, to preserve the aromatic and floral aromas and capture the essence of the Sauvignon Blanc fruit.  The palate of grapes from various coastal regions in the wine provided a full spectrum of Sauvignon Blanc varietal characteristics, ranging from melon and fig flavors to lemon grass and zesty citrus. 

Varietal blend: 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Gewurztraminer

•WINEMAKER'S NOTES•

This wine displays crisp Sauvignon Blanc characteristics of gooseberry and lemon grass on the nose, which carry through to the palate along with pear, kiwi and zesty lime flavors that accent the wine through a crisp finish.  With racy citrus notes, this wine will enliven dishes that call for a splash of fresh citrus, such as seafood, ocean fish or poultry.  It also makes a refreshing pairing with lighter fare such as goat cheese, salads, and crudités.