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2022 Stags' Leap Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Description
Description
Established in 1893, Stags’ Leap Winery is one of the oldest wine estates within the acclaimed Stags Leap district, continually producing wines expressive of its unique terroir. With an enduring winemaking philosophy that honors traditional techniques while embracing modern capabilities, and by using the finest grapes from our own 80-acre vineyard and from quality-focused growers, Stags’ Leap wines embody a natural balance, exhibiting both intensity and finesse, while bringing forth the inherent qualities of each variety.
Wine & Vintage Details
Wine & Vintage Details
The 2022 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc is bright, crisp, and refreshing with aromatic notes of white peach, lemon verbena, lime peel and white elderflower floral blossom on the nose. More subtle notes of brioche toast and biscuit crumb support the lively fruit (a nod to the subtle oak influence) alongside a delicate mineral flintiness. The palate is rich, creamy, and round with notes of Meyer lemon, green apple, lime pith, cassis bud and lychee. There is a zippy, racing acidity throughout, creating a mouthwatering texture and lively backbone that carries all the way through to the lip-smacking, crisp, finish. The length is long, perfumed, and complex with layers of white peach, lanolin, white floral musk and hints of white pepper. This is the perfect summer sipper, making it an ideal accompaniment to crudités, charcuterie, and aperitivo-style dining.
The first half of the 2022 harvest started calm and early, with healthy vineyards offering fruit with bright acidity, fruit-forward flavors, and strong yields for white varietals and thin-skinned reds. Then, California experienced a historic heat wave in early September that ramped up the pace of ripening, compelling a fast and furious harvest as winemakers worked to pick fruit at its best quality. Fortunately, strong vines and proactive irrigation helped many vineyards survive the heat. The second half was much more predictable with cooler temperatures through October, so that later-ripening red varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, could develop their full flavor and tannin profile.
Vineyard & Winemaking Details
Vineyard & Winemaking Details
Our Sauvignon Blanc is sourced primarily from our distinctive Gamble Ranch vineyard in the Oakville AVA. Located in the heart of Napa Valley, Oakville is an excellent location for growing Sauvignon Blanc, providing sufficient sun exposure for ripening with a diversity of soil types that creates beautiful balance and acidity. Sauvignon Blanc planted here shows flavor complexity and refined aromatic expression, ideal for our bottling. Crafted to be a true expression of what a Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc can offer while also taking inspiration from the extraordinary Sauvignon Blancs grown in Bordeaux, France.
The beauty of Sauvignon Blanc is captured in its freshness and the modern winemaking techniques used to preserve that freshness and splendor. To improve the varietal expression prior to fermenting, the winemakers used a technique in which intentional skin contact takes place, then after pressing the juice, the juice and lees are in tank together for up to four days prior to fermentation, to create more aromatic richness and mouthfeel. The wine undergoes fermentation in-barrel in 38% neutral French Oak barrels, while 62% of the juice was put into stainless steel tanks for additional freshness, then the wine is aged in the same barrels for seven months. Three distinct Sauvignon Blanc clones are used to showcase different aromatic nuances of the varietal and to add complexity to the final blend.
| Alcohol % | 14.9% |
|---|---|
| Oak Treatment | 38% neutral French Oak barrels for 7 months, 62% stainless steel |
| Blend | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |