This appellation remains a standout for the variety, as evidenced by this 100% varietal wine that’s mouthwatering in stone fruit and cantaloupe flavors. The aromatics center around pretty jasmine and lime zest aromas, while the palate is structured, crisp and fruity, all in good measure.

Knights Valley continues to be a fine spot for this variety, as evidenced by this wine, which is extremely vibrant in grassy lemon zest and melon. A pure expression of the grape, it offers enough oomph to remain consistent and textured, ending with a succulent suggestion of apricot.

Lush and smooth with ripe melon and grapefruit; full-bodied, rich and complex with seamless style and serious depth; long and layered. 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sémillon.

A vivid pineapple juice accent lends some extra intensity to the lemon, apple and grapefruit notes, very crisp and refreshing. Reveals a touch of lemon verbena on the finish. Drink now.

Here is a California Sauvignon Blanc that actually tastes like the variety, with green fruit and herbal aromas followed by tangy citrus fruit flavors. Its bright, forward character proves extremely inviting, particularly on warm summer evenings. And with more heft than wines made from the same grape in cooler environs (Marlborough in New Zealand, for example, or France’s eastern Loire Valley), it should be quite versatile at the supper table.

Green-tinged yellow. Aromas of dried pear, white flowers and succulent herbs show very good depth and pick up a smoky quality with air. Fleshy, palate-staining orchard and citrus fruit flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity and a bitter quinine note. Smoothly combines vivacity and richness and finishes very long, with lingering florality and a touch of tarragon. All of this fruit was sourced from the Haarstad vineyard but that isn't indicated on the label.

A floral expression, with honeysuckle and apple blossom notes and a crisp, juicy core of lemon, apple and pink grapefruit flavors. Ends with a refreshing finish of Meyer lemon juice. Drink now.

The 2012 Sauvignon Blanc is bright, crisp and beautifully layered. White pear, lemongrass, flowers, sage and mint notes all jump out of the glass. Winemaker Marcia Monahan has done a terrific job of capturing the full range of Sauvignon flavors in an attractive, budget-friendly wine to drink now and over the next year or two.

Tangy orange scents brighten the mountain richness of this sauvignon. It feels round, accented by smoke and nut scents. Chill it for mahi-mahi with avocado and mango salsa.

Tangy orange scents brighten the mountain richness of this sauvignon. It feels round, accented by smoke and nut scents. Chill it for mahi-mahi with avocado and mango salsa.

Another beautiful, deeply expressive wine, the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench graces the palate with white peach, slate, sage, mint and tomato leaf. This is a pretty, textured Sauvignon with terrific palate presence, yet the flavors remain fresh, vibrant and varietally true.

Bright straw. Complex citrus and orchard fruit aromas show very good clarity and verve. Fleshy but dry, with a zesty mineral edge to its pink grapefruit and bitter pear skin flavors. The mineral quality adds cut and lift to the incisive finish, which is uncompromisingly dry, in the best way, and very long. I'd love to show this wine to a Loire Valley wine fanatic who thinks that New World sauvignon blancs lack nerve.

Readers looking for a peppery, stony, more mineral-laced style of Sauvignon Blanc with intense fruit should check out the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench Knights Cross Vineyard, which is 100% Sauvignon from various clones. Fermented and aged in stainless steel and neutral wood, it builds incrementally on the palate and is subtle but powerful, dry and intense. There are 1,300 cases of this classy Sauvignon Blanc. Consume it over the next 1-2 years.

There is no mistaking the familial pattern here. The wine comes loaded with intensely pungent, weedy, green and juniper bush characteristics, and while there are those who are going to adore its “varietal” focus, others will find it too much of a good thing. For our part, the wine is seen for what it is and for the great joy it will bring to those who like it.

Pale, green-tinged gold. Meyer lemon and fresh pear on the fragrant, spice- and herb-accented nose. Offers an array of bright orchard and citrus fruit flavors with very good energy. Clean and dry on the chewy, focused finish.

Light yellow-gold. Precise, mineral- and herb-accented aromas of dried citrus fruits and pear skin, with a suave floral quality gaining strength in the glass. Dry and nervy, offering taut lemon, pear and ginger flavors and a hint of tarragon. Finishes on a refreshingly bitter note, with very good clarity and spicy length.

The 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench/Sonoma County is the richest and weightiest of the three Sauvignons I tasted. It shows plenty of depth, but has less to offer in the way of aromatic complexity or energy. The relative warmth of this site in Knights Valley is quite evident in the wine's plushness. Personally, I gravitate towards the more focused Sauvignons in this range, but there is a lot to like here as well. Apricots, lychees, jasmine and spices are all woven into the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2015.

Greenish yellow. Assertive grapefruit and green apple aromas are complicated by lemongrass and white flowers. Dry, bracing and surprisingly concentrated, offering firm citrus and orchard fruit flavors, nervy minerality and a long, racy finish. A grown-up, low-fat, sharply focused style of the variety that I find utterly captivating.

A fine, bone-dry and minerally Sauvignon Blanc to enjoy with shellfish, grilled chicken or on its own as an appetizer. A touch of oak adds richness to the vibrant, acidic citrus fruit, lemongrass and green apple flavors.

Clear to platinum in color, this wine has the scent of green-apple skin, a tight jacket surrounding plump fruit flavors. The fruit has the weight and gravity of a peach ready to fall from the tree - fully ripe rather than superripe. The acidity in the finish will wrap around grilled sea scallops.

Even better, but more limited in production, is the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench. Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc with the Sauvignon Musque clone representing nearly 25% of the blend, which gives the wine a more aromatic character, it also offers an intriguing gravelly, smoky nose with intense melon-like fruit notes, medium body, and a richer, more complex personality than its sibling.

The 2017s From Sonoma Brought up in 24% new French oak, the 2017 Chardonnay Alexander Valley offers a clean, pretty bouquet of stone fruits, apple, blossom, and white flowers. Elegant, medium-bodied, and nicely textured, with a kiss of subtle oak, this is an outstanding wine.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2016 Cougar Ridge Chardonnay displays expressive pineapple, pear tart and nectarine notions with hints of popcorn, brioche and acacia honey. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers a lovely satiny texture and plenty of savoriness coming through on the finish.

Caramel apple meets high-toned acidity in this balanced, medium-bodied white that’s brightened with salty lemon accents. It finishes long, with nuanced nutmeg and vanilla notes.

An interesting stylistic choice makes this wine stand out in a flight of run of the mill California Chardonnay. It's crisp and bright, with lively peach, citrus and apple character over pie spice and some stone minerality. You'd never guess this as a full malolactic fermentation wine that was barrel fermented in a fair percentage of new oak. It gets all the best qualities out of those processes with none of the drawbacks. Well done!