2022
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Our white wine aims to channel and evoke the vibrant energy and minerality of the volcanic ash from Tres Palmas Vineyard and the basalt of Nuns Canyon Vineyard. Showcasing a finessed, crystalline structure, this expression is chiseled, fresh, and saline.
93 points
Jeb Dunnuck
“… it has a lovely silky texture, with a lot of refinement, and a wonderful saline touch and a mouthwatering feel throughout. It’s a very high-quality Sauvignon Blanc. Drink it over the next 6-8 years.”
—Audrey Frick, June 27, 2024
Profile
Presenting a delicate straw hue in the glass, the 2022 Estate Sauvignon Blanc unveils a subtle touch of flinty minerality that gradually opens into captivating layers of blackcurrant bud, Meyer lemon pith, and white peaches mingling with scents of apple blossom, sea salt, and crushed stone. On the palate, the wine delivers a stunning mid-palate depth and a lingering saline acidity that is both refreshing and tense. Balancing purity and complexity with finesse, the wine offers delightful drinkability in its youth while showcasing enough poise and minerality to be enjoyed over the next ten years.
Vintage Notes and Technical Details
After experiencing back-to-back drought years, October and December of 2021 brought a combined 20 inches of rain, setting the stage for saturated soils and providing ideal conditions for nutrient mineralization for the vines throughout the winter. Additional rainfall in March and April of 2022 brought the total to 29 inches for the vintage, surpassing our annual average. Although this return to more normal rainfall was welcome, temperatures from January onwards remained consistently warmer than our prior 10-year average throughout the growing season. June, in particular, experienced above-average warmth, with recurring heat events peaking on the solstice. Fortunately, the vines tolerated the heat well, and grew full and balanced canopies. The above-average warmth persisted through the summer, resulting in an earlier veraison than usual and setting the stage for earlier ripening. August saw continued elevated temperatures and several heat spikes. With the warmer conditions and an earlier start to grape maturation, we commenced picking on August 16. The pace of picking was moderate through the second half of August until forecasts predicted a historic heat event on Labor Day in September. At that point, we accelerated picking to our highest historic rate of tons harvested per day. Fortunately, we completed picking by September 8, the earliest finish to harvest in our records. The fruit displayed beautiful freshness, integrity, and balance – characteristics that are also reflected in the wines. Despite the record warmth of the season, we successfully dry-farmed 76% of our total vineyards.
- Production: 677 Cases
- Appellation: Sonoma Valley
- Vineyard: Tres Palmas
- Fermentation: 59% in Neutral Oak Casks and Barrels, 29% in Concrete Eggs and 12% in Stainless Steel Tanks
- Aging: 12 months in 55% Concrete Eggs, 23% Neutral Oak Casks, 22% Stainless Steel Tanks, followed by 4 months in Stainless Steel Tanks
- Bottling Date: February 20, 2024
- Harvest Dates: August 19 – September 5, 2022
- Alcohol: 13%
Explore Our Vineyards
To capture the complexity of our vineyards’ volcanic terroir, we embrace a level of precision, scale and knowledge that reflects the geologic contours of our place.