USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Composed of 88% Malbec, 5% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Desvelado features lovely warm blackberries and black cherries notes with suggestions of spice box, tobacco and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, it has a plush texture and plenty of spicy layers, finishing with a floral kick.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Bennett Valley sings of white peaches, grapefruit and lemon zest with touches of chalk dust and lime leaves. Medium-bodied with fantastic intensity and packed with citrus and herbal flavors, it has a racy line of freshness and an invigorating finish.

This white gold colored Sauvignon Blanc from the Alexander Valley opens with a fragrant honeydew melon and yellow grapefruit bouquet with a hint of herbs. On the palate, this wine is light bodied, balanced, juicy and mouthwatering. The flavor profile is a tangy yellow grapefruit with notes of minerality, peach pit and a hint of honeydew melon and lime. The finish is dry and fades away nicely. This Sauvignon Blanc is food friendly and would pair well with swordfish skewers.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc (Bennett Valley) is deep, bold and authoritative. Partial aging in oak brings out quite a bit of textural depth. There is terrific energy and focus to the varietal flavors in this pretty, expressive Sauvignon Blanc. The style built on structure holds considerable appeal.

This well-made wine is fermented in both stainless steel and neutral French oak. Aromas of freshly cut grass and honeysuckle dominate on the nose, while flavors of fig and lemon peel come into play on the racy palate.

Wine of the Week: Summery Sauvignon Blanc Aromatics of citrus fruits, bell pepper, and honeysuckle rise up from a glass. The palate showcases flavors of lime, peach, and lemon that move into expressions of white blossoms and wild grass. Quite crisp and vibrant, fans of lively Sauv Blanc will enjoy this.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc (Knights Valley) is bright, crisp and full of energy. A healthy dollop of Sauvignon Musqué adds aromatic intensity and character to the citrus and stony flavors. Drink this flavorful Sauvignon Blanc over the next few years.

Matanzas Creek has a long and distinguished history with sauvignon, going back to a time when California's vintners showed this grape little respect and tolerated it because they could have it in the market shortly after the harvest. Matanzas always gave sauvignon its due and was there to cash in when sauvignon blanc caught the Kiwi wave and gained in popularity worldwide. This vintage is typical, showing complex notes of citrus, tropical fruit and melon, with a slightly more oily palate than what comes in from New Zealand, making it more versatile with food and easier to like for anyone not fond of the pungent Kiwi style.

The 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, coming from the estate vineyards, was fermented in neutral wood and aged in a combination of concrete eggs, stainless steel and neutral wood puncheons for ten months on its lees prior to bottling. The wine offers good crushed rock minerality, floral notes intermixed with orange blossom and lemon honey, excellent depth, richness and a dry, crisp finish. Drink it over the next several years.

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.