High Valley Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2018
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Wong
Wilfred -
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: While wine educators are aware that High Valley-Lake County grows excellent Sauvignon Blancs, the general public may not know about the quality of the wine grapes in this AVA. The 2018 High Valley Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc should persuade wine and food lovers to put this area on their radar screens. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits excellent varietal character and a pleasingly soft and dry finish. Its aromas and flavors of ripe melon and bright citrus should pair it well with garlic-accented stir-fried catfish. (Tasted: March 8, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
Vivid citrus and snap-pea aromas lead to vibrant fruit flavors and a lively texture in this medium-bodied wine. It has great acidity to refresh the palate, and nicely concentrated lemon, grapefruit and thyme flavors.
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Wong
Wilfred
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Wong
Wilfred -
Enthusiast
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The vineyards hug the mountain rims along the south-east edge of High Valley AVA. Surrounded by dramatic landscapes and pristine wilderness, the story of High Valley is clearly visible from our property. At 2,200 feet, on top of the Terre Vermeille vineyard look to your south, you'll see the deep blue waters of Clear Lake, that provide cooling winds throughout our long summer days. Turn to the west, and you can distinguish where the lava flows give way to the alluvial fan of the ancient lake bed on the valley floor. And from the north, and you can feel the cold night winds from Snow Mountain and the peaks of the Mendocino National Forest.
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.
Sitting on the northeast side of the Clear Lake appellation, this warm area boasts multiple soil types that allow growers a lot of flexibility and experimentation with grape varieties. While Sauvignon blanc is a mainstay, this zone excels with Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, as well as other less common varieties like Barbera and Tempranillo.