WINE FOCUS
SEPT. 30, 2019 • WINE SPECTATOR 29The high-scorers showcase the many regions in which Sauvignon Blanc
grapes shine, yielding a range of expressions. Favia’s Coombsville Línea
2017 (94 points, $85) is fragrant and mouthwatering, while Dragonette’s
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara Vogelzang Vineyard 2015 (93, $45) is
lush and tropical, and Lail’s Napa Valley Blueprint 2017 (93, $40) has
hints of honeycomb and lanolin. Other top wines hail from Sonoma and
Santa Barbara and show an even broader range of flavors.
Sauvignon Blanc also works well in blends. Matthiasson’s refreshing
White Napa Valley 2017 (89, $40) combines Sauvignon Blanc with
Ribolla Gialla, Sémillon and Tocai Friulano, with the grapes blended
together after a whole-cluster press and aged on the lees before bottling.
Another successful blend, Flora Springs’ floral, spicy Soliloquy Napa
Valley 2017 (90, $50) is a freshened-up version of the winery’s flagship
white, blending its proprietary Soliloquy clone of Sauvignon Blanc with
Chardonnay and Malvasia, with just a touch of oak. General manager
Nat Komes admits that in the past Flora Springs tried to turn its Sauvi-
gnon Blanc into Chardonnay in response to the heavy-handed oak craze
of the 1980s. But while working to resurrect Soliloquy, the team saw a
newfound freedom to imagine a more modern version of the grape.
These kinds of experiments aren’t limited to blends. Other vintners
are attempting to pinpoint Sauvignon Blanc’s distinctive characteristics
and focus on those in their wines. Heading up one of the most exciting
programs is winemaker Vailia From of Desperada, who bottled six differ-
ent Sauvignon Blancs from 2018, demonstrating various single-vineyard
expressions, single-clone versions and examples made in amphorae.
The entire lineup is a stunning survey of the grape at its best, with
five of the wines scoring between 91 and 93 points. Among my favor-
ites are the creamy Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara 1 McGinley 2018
(93, $38) and the supple Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara Amphora
McGinley Vineyard 2018 (93, $38).
It’s easy to think of Sauvignon Blanc as free from harvest drama, par-
ticularly the fear of late-season rains, since the grape is typically among
the first to be picked. But Sauvignon Blanc is definitely affected by
growing conditions. At Peter Michael, for example, the warm season
in 2017 required cold settling in order to retain a fragrant profile in its
Sauvignon Blanc. Winemaker Nicolas Morlet calls the resulting Knights
Valley L’Après-Midi 2017 (92, $64) the most exotic vintage he’s ever
done. “Instead of finishing crisp, my goal is to have texture,” he says.
Other winemakers have found success with leaf-pulling to give their
Sauvignon Blanc grapes more exposure to the sun, but not Morlet. “It’s
easier to leave the grapes on later than it is to glue a leaf back on,” he
quips. Morlet uses concrete fermentors and bâtonnage for the texture he
desires. “What’s fascinating about Sauvignon Blanc is that it expresses
terroir very well,” he adds.
All of these advances are making this a very exciting category. “Sau-
vignon Blanc is on fire,” reports Matthiasson. “The nurseries are sold
out of vines, and there are waiting lists for vineyard fruit sales.”
“California Sauvignon Blanc has been searching for an audience,”
suggests Komes as he discusses the attention the wines have been get-
ting. Turns out that winemakers were part of that audience.FAVIA Sauvignon Blanc Coombsville Línea 2017 94 $85
There’s an explosion of aromatics and flavors in this white, with
honeysuckle, Asian pear, Honeycrisp apple and wild thyme accents.DESPARADA Sauvignon Blanc Happy Canyon of 93 $38
Santa Barbara 1 McGinley 2018
Offers a wonderful creaminess, with a touch of lemon custard to
the ripe melon, pineapple and mango flavors.DRAGONETTE Sauvignon Blanc Happy Canyon of 93 $45
Santa Barbara Vogelzang Vineyard 2015
Succulent, with ripe apricot and mango flavors that leap out of
the glass, set on a smooth and lush frame.HALL Sauvignon Blanc Knights Valley 2017 93 $35
A terrific, fragrant mix of litsea, lemongrass and mango aromas gives
way to succulent peach, pear and melon flavors.LAIL Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley Blueprint 2017 93 $40
Aromatic and distinctive, with rich notes of honeycomb, coconut oil
and lanolin that give way to fresh apricot and mango flavors.QUIVIRA Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek Valley 93 $24
Alder Grove Vineyard 2017
A complex note of dried honeysuckle and a whiff of smoke add in-
trigue and depth to the succulent peach, melon and mango flavors.ACCENDO Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2017 92 $60
Mixes power with grace, offering supple Key lime and passion fruit fla-
vors that are mouthwatering and intense, set on a smooth, sleek frame.ANTHEM Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 92 $55
Carsi Ranch Vineyard 2017
Smooth and rich, with notes of lemon curd and meringue, spice and
lanolin complementing the creamy core of candied citrus flavors.BELTANE RANCH Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma Valley 92 $29
Drummond Block 2018
Supple and elegant, with notes of lanolin, candied ginger, pomelo and
pear, revealing a thread of sea salt. Complex and harmonious.CHALK HILL Sauvignon Blanc Chalk Hill 2017 92 $33
Lush and rich, with spicy mandarin orange, mango and dried pine-
apple flavors set on a sleek, juicy frame. Shows a sense of richness.GRASSINI Sauvignon Blanc Happy Canyon of 92 $28
Santa Barbara 2017
The lime, passion fruit and green apple flavors are vibrant and expres-
sive, with a tangy edge and details of lemongrass and green tea.KERR Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2016 92 $35
Touches of toasted coconut and lanolin add richness to the smooth,
dense core of dried apricot, melon and spicy poached pear flavors.PETER MICHAEL Sauvignon Blanc Knights Valley 92 $64
L’Après-Midi 2017
Mandarin orange, peach and lemon curd flavors seem subdued at first
in this white, but then gain momentum and complexity.ROBERT MONDAVI Fumé Blanc Oakville 2015 92 $40
Complex, offering a mix of beeswax, honeysuckle and dried mango
flavors up front, which give way to poached pear and apricot notes.HONIG Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2018 91 $19
Succulent peach, nectarine and dried mango flavors are intense and
vibrant, showcasing plenty of style, with a note of honeysuckle.JOEL GOTT Sauvignon Blanc California 2017 90 $15
Juicy pear, peach and citrus flavors are bright and smooth, with a
touch of dried chamomile and lemon verbena lingering on the finish.MARYANN WOROBIEC’S RECOMMENDED CALIFORNIA SAUVIGNON BLANCS
Nearly 225 wines were reviewed for this report. A free alphabetical list of scores and prices for all wines tasted is available at WineSpectator
.com/SauvignonBlancAlpha093019. WineSpectator.com members can access complete reviews using the online Wine Ratings search.WINE SCORE PRICE WINE SCORE PRICE