It was Louis Mel who brought cuttings Sauvignon Blanc cuttings to California from Chateau d’Yquem in the 1880s. Tangerine and lemon sing their aromas in soprano harmony. Buttercup and white flower petals take the spotlight in sunshine with lemongrass and sweet basil. The wine carries all this on a line of crisp acidity.
This is a new label for the Wente Family Estates, a jazzy Pinot Grigio cool-fermented in stainless steel. Ripe pear and green apple are complemented by bright acidity and a lively mouthfeel. Almond and honey notes show its depth, with a long finish of sweet basil and salty lanolin.
Considered in relation to its modest price, this Chardonnay brings a lot to the table. The fruit component offers both a fresh aspect from flavors and acidity akin to Granny Smith apples but also a softer side recalling ripe pears. Additional oak-based complexities are interlaced with the fruit, with a soft-spoken toasty note and a lightly buttery accent. Very successful.
Showing a ripe and texturally rounded style, this Sauvignon Blanc, made with organic grapes, is nearly medium-bodied with a profile leaning away from the citrus side of the spectrum and toward the melon and tropical side. The aromas are restrained but true to that profile for the variety, and the fruit shows some freshness with just enough acidity to provide definition or “cut” to the ripe flavors.
From the northern part of Sonoma Coast, this white demonstrates the art of crystal clarity, with peach blossom and candied pineapple. The purity of flavors instills a pleasurable array of apricot, vanilla custard, sweet basil, and lime chiffon. It finishes by sealing the palate with crushed stone, and our assessment that it is one remarkable wine.
Aromas: Lemon blossom, buttered popcorn, almond paste
A flinty start, with barrel toast and lime zest texturizing the palate. Acidity is almost bracing, adding dimension and verve.
Roasted coffee and sweet earth are behind the depth or flavor and mouthfeel for this Pinot Noir from one of California’s coolest grape-growing regions. It displays freshness, with underlying savory tones of cigar leaf, black cherry, black pepper, and a defined minerality.
Aromas of wild strawberry and sweet earth are followed by notes of black cherries bathed in cinnamon and cardamom. A wispy mouthfeel indicates its delicate nature, charming the palate with a fine salinity and balanced acidity. Finishes with flavors of cocoa and walnut draped in ripe red berries.