Growing Conditions

With the 2016 vintage we introduced a new vineyard known as Kick Ranch into our Sauvignon Blanc blend. Kick Ranch is located in Sonoma’s Rincon Valley, on the western side of Spring Mountain. The site itself is strongly influenced by the cool marine air coming off of the Sonoma Coast, which helps to retain the crisp acidity in the Sauvignon blanc grapes. From this ranch, about 35% of the fruit we received was Sauvignon Blanc Clone 317, and 65% was the Musque clone of Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Musque tends to have a more tropical, exotic nature than classic Sauvignon Blanc and we find that the bright, zesty characters coming from the Kick Ranch property are a perfect complement to the richer, more honeyed qualities coming from the Sauvignon Musque grapes at the Aetna Springs property.
The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc is pretty and expressive on the nose, showing notes of candied orange, jasmine flower, mint and marzipan. The palate is soft and billowy on entry but has an incredibly bright, citrusy spine of acid that supports the wine and lingers into the finish. Primary flavors of lemon cream and lime zest are accented by riper notes of white peach, pear and honey. The sensation of fruit sweetness on the mid-palate is balanced by a saline, minerally quality that adds intrigue and depth to the palate.