2018 Stags' Leap Winery Sauvignon Blanc California White

2018 Stags' Leap Winery Sauvignon Blanc

93 JS

Featured Review

A soft, creamy white with sliced pear and apple character. Some resin undertones. Medium to full body. Lovely fruit. 70% barrel fermented. Shows focus and intensity. First sauvignon from here and fantastic. Drink now. James Suckling

James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2018 Sauvignon Blanc prances out of the glass with cheery scents of white peaches, lemon curd and orange blossoms plus touches of musk perfume, beeswax and dried herbs. Medium-bodied, the palate is alive with energetic citrus and stone fruit flavors and a racy backbone, finishing with great length and tension. 5,639 cases were made.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Type of Wine	California White : If you're in the mood for a creative, compelling white wine, few regions can compete with California, and it's immense varietal diversity. With the pure, potent essence of grapes such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Gris, these wines will stimulate your senses and arouse your intellect. Give in, and enjoy.
Varietal	Sauvignon Blanc : The varietal of Sauvignon Blanc, which hails from Western France and now successfully grown in emerging and established wine regions all over the world, is an ancient grape. Sauvignon Blanc and its red counterpart, Cabernet Franc, gifted to the world of wine its offspring, Cabernet Sauvignon. Its progeny has become the most popular and widely planted varietal in the world but Sauvignon Blanc is no slouch, ranking among the top ten, itself. Its exact emergence upon the earth is still undetermined, but appears to be indigenous to central France (the Loire Valley) or to the southwest France (Bordeaux). There is still discussion as to Sauvignon Blanc’s actual origins, with both Bordeaux and the Loire claiming to be the grape’s homeland. Both fashion incredible wine from the varietal and have been a leading force for the wine’s world-wide popularity. Sauvignon Blanc is so popular today, that 123,000 hectares are planted to the varietal across the world, ranking third among all white wine producing varietals, behind only Airen (218,000ha) and Chardonnay (211,000ha). The origin dispute aside, the grape’s versatility means its regions and styles are remarkably diverse, both within France and internationally. Sauvignon Blanc’s geographical spread and versatility means it is found in a range of styles from classic dry white wines to individual, highly aromatic international interpretations to highly unctuous, sweet wines. The Loire appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume produce, arguably, the greatest example of the quintessential Sauvignon Blanc offering, often as a single-varietal and unoaked bringing forth wines that are mineral, citrusy, steely, bright and reasonably long-lived. Pouilly and Sancerre are home to some of the top selling Sauvignon Blanc domains in the world, from Dageuneau (Pouilly-Fume) to Vacheron (Sancerre). Bordeaux also produces a classic dry white from Sauvignon Blanc, but is most often in the form of a blend of Sauvignon and Semillon. Haut-Brion Blanc, Pavillon Blanc de Chateau Margaux (100% Sauvignon Blanc) and Cos d’Estournel Blanc are some of the top selling, quality white Bordeaux offerings. Whereas the typical winemaking techniques of Loire do not involve oak-aging, it most often does occur in Bordeaux, giving the wine a signature texture and a mix of herbal and tropical aromas. In Sauternes (including Barsac) a very unique winegrowing method is implemented. The grapes of Sauvignon Blanc (Semillon and Muscadelle) endure a long hang time in which the late Autumn fog and humid climate attracts Botrytis Cinerea, a fungus that attacks the grape, also known as noble rot. The result is an unctuous, utterly delicious golden liquid that has placed the wines of Sauternes as some of the most characteristic and expensive in the world. Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Climens are undoubtedly among the top producers in the region. Outside of France, Sauvignon Blanc, with its diverse and easily manipulated qualities has grown in popularity and now inhabits over 38 countries in some of the greatest terroir hotspots including New Zealand, California, Chile, Spain and Australia. Sauvignon Blanc arrived in California in the 1860’s but the varietal’s mainstream influence on American consumers wouldn’t come until 1966 when Robert Mondavi fashioned a dry white in the style of a Loire wine, naming it Fume Blanc. The varietal has only grown in quality and popularity in America since. Sauvignon Blanc thrives in terroirs and climates that mimic that of the Loire Valley, where it perhaps, reaches its full zenith. The soil consists heavily of flint (silica), which gives it a smoky aroma found in both Pouilly-Fume and Sancerre. However, Sauvignon Blanc is quite adaptable to a myriad of terroirs around the world, revealing each terroir through the wine itself. The varietal of Sauvignon Blanc is simply tremendous in its quality, non-discrimination of its elements (to a degree) and has fashioned some of the world’s most intriguing array of wines.
Country	US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region	California : With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world's most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region's produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it. While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California's most talented. Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover would die to visit. California's quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine.
Subregion	Williamette Valley
Appellation	Williamette Valley
Climat/Vineyard	Williamette Valley
Cru	Williamette Valley

Producer	Stags' Leap : It started with a taste of the infamous, winemaking pioneer Nathan Fay’s 1968 Cabernet Sauvignon, which birthed the true identity of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. True, Warren Winiarski had obtained 15 acres at the bottom of Howell Mountain in 1965, which was quickly ripped out and replaced with Left Bank Bordeaux Varietals; however, the tasting with Fay had become an epiphany for Winiarski. At that time, it was uncommon for vintners to keep vineyard-designated lots of wine separate. With the help of friends who engaged in wine production, he was able to taste Cabernet from a variety of areas and sites before being blended together. Winiarski developed a sense of the valley’s Cabernet geography. He returned to the land with a renewed vision of producing great California Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1970, Winiarski purchased 44 acres of land in the Stag’s Leap Palisade adjacent to the famous Fay Vineyard. The land was mostly planted with fruit trees which were removed and then cultivated for growing grapes. The first vintage arrived in 1972 and in the following year, Winiarski completed construction on his winery allowing for the now historic 1973 bottling of Cabernet Sauvignon to be its first vintage made under the new roof. This incredible 1973 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon (S.L.V) would go on to make history and help change the world’s view on California wines. On May 24th, 1976 the famous blind tasting named the Judgement of Paris, took place which pitted red Bordeaux first and classified growths and white Burgundy against California Cabernet and Chardonnay. The unthinkable happened when the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V was awarded first placed and bested the likes of Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Haut Brion. Winiarski would later state that the pivotal tasting of Fay’s 1968 Cabernet was the first step on the road to Paris ’76. The tasting changed everything for the estate and for Napa Valley. In a few, short years Stag’s Leap had become the hottest brand in California. Stag’s Leap was clearly on the track for greatness; the inception of Cask 23 (1974), the purchasing of Fay Vineyard from Nathan Fay (1986), the completion of the Napa wine caves, which marks the passing of time and the aging of wine (2000) and the debut vintage of Artemis (2001) were all mighty achievements by Winiarski. The three main grape sources for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars remains Danika Ranch, Fay Vineyard and S.L.V. each with their own unique terroir. S.L.V. (Stag’s Leap Vineyard) consists of volcanic soils, Danika Ranch is mostly loam soils and on flatter land, while Fay has a terroir of rocks, stones, gravel and loam. The wines produced today are S.L.V Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon, Aveta Sauvignon Blanc, Kairia Sauvignon Blanc, Cask 23, and Fay Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. Though Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars was sold in 2007, Warren Winiarski’s legacy lives on. Much of the estate’s success as well as its international recognition to Napa Valley is due to his many accomplishments. It is fitting as he credits the initial steps towards the success of Stag’s Leap and its journey to accomplishing history in 1976 to the infamous Nathan Fay. History was made at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and history always repeats itself.