Billhook White Blend 2013
-
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 35% Viognier, 35% Marsanne, 20% Grenache Blanc and 10% Roussanne
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
This smartly priced blend of 35% Viognier, 35% Marsanne and 20% Grenache Blanc is quite steely and focused on the nose, with apple blossoms and a suave florality. Flavors are tight and clean with sour apples and citrus pith, proving lively and refreshing.
That first morning, while waiting for a famous Rutherford winemaker, I struck a conversation with an older gentleman preparing for a day of pruning. His straw hat and long checkered sleeves had not kept years of sun from darkening his skin, which with deep creases in his face, gave the appearance of something like an aboriginal wise man. My impression of this man radically changed as we spoke. His knowledge of Napa’s best wines, viticulture, geology and the elements required to create extraordinary wine rivaled the Davis trained oenologists I would meet that week.
With dark, wrinkled hands, he produced a hooked pruning knife, known in days past as a billhook. Except for a gleaming edge, the patinaed steel blade was as black as the worn wood handle, stained with the oil of hands through generations of use. The knife had been his grandfather’s who worked Napa Valley vineyards in the previous century.
All he knew about vines was taught by his father, who had learned from his father before. I understood that practices passed down in this special place were different than areas where expectations were lower. What this man had learned from his father and grandfather was vision, commitment, sacrifice and a passion to create wines that could stand among the best in the world.
I don’t remember his name and I never saw him again. But each winter, as I watch workers move through the gray smoke of burning cuttings, I wonder if that knife is in one of their hands.
Billhook Cabernet Sauvignon is dedicated to this man who, years ago, made an indelible impression on me and to the others like him whose role is essential in making Napa Valley a world class source of great wine."
-Crawford Malone
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.