Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley — 2021
-
Introduction
-
RouteStock is an invitation to discover the deep roots of winemaking in Napa and Sonoma, planted firmly at each step of your journey through our vineyard sites. Every glass tells the story of Napa and Sonoma’s remarkable fine wine heritage, from the famous routes that wind between the vineyards, to the roots that produce its world-renowned grapes. An endeavor of enduring Napa-based importer Wilson Daniels, RouteStock is established as a product that consistently over-delivers in quality at a very attractive price point.
At the core of RouteStock is our commitment to sourcing great fruit from high-end vineyards along well-known routes in the Napa Valley. We partner with a select group of dedicated grape-growers in the best viticultural areas for each of our varietals and we work hand-in-hand with all our growers during the cultivation season. We practice minimal intervention in our winemaking to help the grapes show their true character, using native yeasts, natural malolactic fermentation, 100% barrel aging, and no chemical additions. Our intent is to let the grapes and vintage tell us what kind of wine they should be – we never try to force the wine into a specific mold, but rather serve as a guide on its journey.
-
-
Vineyard Profile
-
This wine derives from two unique vineyards, one in Rutherford and the other in Carneros. During production, we increase the oxygen exposure of the juice during fermentation through a combination of stainless-steel tanks and concrete eggs to bring forward the subtle flavors that are too often hidden within this wonderful grape variety. Aging too is done in two methods, partially in used French oak and partially in concrete egg to add intricacy to the final blend. A sip of this Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc will be familiar, but also delightfully surprising.
-
-
Vintage Report
-
What a great growing year for almost everything in Napa Valley, with the exception of Sauvignon Blanc. Throughout Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc vines faced difficulty during flowering that, in combination with drought conditions, took the normal crop down by about 45%, thus reducing our usual quantity to be produced. The summer growing season in all of Napa Valley was amazing with some usual heat spikes. Harvest proceeded in late August as normal
-
-
Vinification
- Aging: 65% in neutral French oak, 20% in stainless steel and 15% in concrete eggs
-
Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: 98% Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc & 2% Napa Valley Semillon
- Alcohol: 13.9%
- TA: 5.52 g/L
- p H: 3.51
- RS: .0379 g/L
-
Tasting Notes
-
Sinking your nose in the glass you are rewarded with amazingly vibrant aromas of fresh herbs (oregano and thyme) as well as figs, grapefruit, and apricot. The flavors closely follow the nose. There is a great combination of vibrant acidity and lift with a nice richness that you can’t get from Sauvignon Blanc that ages in stainless steel exclusively. This is not a shy demure wine, it is exuberant, fun-loving and not lacking in strength nor personality. The lingering fresh flavors of fig and oregano last and last creating a savory character that brings you back for another sip, another glass, and another bottle!
-