Clif Family Winery Rte Blanc Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2011
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Winemaker Notes
Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford began their love of food and wine with cycling adventures through Italy where long days of cycling would end in leisurely evenings of good wine, food and hospitality. As great lovers of food, wine and adventure, Gary and Kit sought to bring these memorable experiences to their Napa Valley home.
Today, Clif Family winemaker, Laura Barret, makes wines from grapes grown on our Howell Mountain estate and from local Napa Valley and Mendocino growers while Executive Chef John McConnell has created a selection of artisan food products that pair perfectly with our wines. At our Napa Valley Tasting Room and Bruschetteria Food Truck, our wine and food are paired to create exciting tasting experiences.
With a focus on sustainability, Clif Family wines are primarily made from organically grown grapes or sourced from growers with a focus on practices that care for the earth. Our Howell Mountain farm and vineyards are CCOF certified organic and our artisan food products are made from organic ingredients.
“We’re working to run a different kind of company: The kind of place we’d want to work, that makes the kind of food we’d like to eat, and that strives for a healthier, more sustainable world – the kind of world we’d like to pass on to our children.”- KIT CRAWFORD
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.