Litoral Sauvignon Blanc 2014
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The first of three Sauvignon Blancs (the winery's specialty in a way, as they work 76 hectares of the variety) is the 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Litoral from a year that seems extraordinary for the grape and zone. It's a wine with great marine influence whose verticality is aided by the cooling effect of the granite soils. This is a little riper than the Ventolera range with more mid-palate; it is juicy and refreshing. This has a whopping 9.03 grams of acidity with a pH of 3.1 and 13.5% alcohol. The grapes were cooled down and the must fermented with selected yeast to potentate the aromatic properties of the Sauvignon grape, and the wine matured for two months in contact with the lees. An austere, serious and fresh Sauvignon at great price.
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.
An officially recognized sub-zone in the southern part of the San Antonio Valley, the Leyda Valley was the original settlement of the wine pioneers who came to the area in the 1990s. They were in search of cooler and wetter growing conditions—as compared to more eastern, drier and often warmer locations.
Planting, which began only in the late 1990s, focused on Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot noir and some limited spots for Syrah. The area continues to receive well-earned accolades for wines of these varieties.