Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc 2012
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James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Jenny Wagner, Winemaker
In the Vineyard
I believe the key to creating a truly unique expression of California Sauvignon Blanc begins in the vineyards. A variety of effective methods were taken to decrease crop production for higher quality wine, including bloom brushing, root pruning and deficit irrigation.
For this vintage, I sourced grapes from two Napa Valley vineyards – Emmolo Rutherford and Emmolo Oak Knoll. Even though innovative farming techniques are the foundation for producing great wines, I also had to work with what Mother Nature handed me. The 2012 vintage had a mild growing season that was longerthan usual, allowing for slow ripening and a long "hang time." Throughout the growing season, we made multiple leaf-pulling and crop thinning passes, focusing on the fruit zone to give each cluster a kiss of the summer's sun. The fruit was brought in using a combination of hand and machine harvesting during the early morning hours between August 28th and September 12th.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is tangy and fresh, with sliced-melon and mineral character. Full body with crisp acidity and a bright, clean finish. Like a pretty young white Bordeaux. A new wine from the daughter of Chuck Wagner of Caymus.
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Emmolo Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wine each feature a distinct style created by Owner/Winemaker Jenny Wagner, who embraces new techniques in both the vineyard and her winemaking. Emmolo is named for Jenny’s maternal relatives, who came to Napa from Sicily in 1923 and founded a rootstock nursery that supplied many of the region’s growers. Their land still provides many of the grapes for Emmolo.
On the paternal side, Jenny’s roots trace back to 1857, when her third great-grandfather captained a wagon train to Napa Valley, beginning a long history of farming and winemaking. In 1972, Jenny’s father, Chuck Wagner, founded Caymus Vineyards along with her grandparents, Lorna and Charlie Wagner Sr. Jenny feels extremely fortunate to be following in her family’s footsteps and to be putting her own mark on Emmolo wines.
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.