Fine Wines : Sauvignon Blanc

2006 was a cooler than normal year in Monterey County. This benefited our Sauvignon Blanc, as we encourage bright, grassy flavors with crisp acidity and pronounced varietal character. To this end, we began picking Sauvignon Blanc early in September with low sugar and high acid in order to enhance these characteristics. The resulting wine exhibits the aromas and flavors we love: loads of grapefruit, gooseberry and citrus flavors along with tropical fruit and grassy notes. We also enrich the texture with 4 % barrel-fermented Semillon from Napa.

2009 provided us with excellent weather throughout the summer and warm sunny conditions in September. The resulting wines are very aromatic and express rich, ripe Sauvignon Blanc flavors. We began picking September 4th and continued picking block by block finishing on October 23rd. This gave us a wide range of ripeness levels from which to create the final blend.

The 2006 Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc is brilliantly clear with a very pale, light straw color. This lightness belies the wine's full fragrances and flavors. There are aromas reminiscent of mint, green kiwi fruit, and melon. On the palate, the Sauvignon Blanc's lively acidity carries flavors of tropical fruit, with hints of pineapples and, perhaps, ripe cantaloupes. There is a pleasant wisp of sweetness throughout this wine, with a note of butterscotch on the wine's finish.

The aromas highlight elements of bright citrus and passion fruit, underscored by pineapple and layers of gala apple and lychee. The tropical aromas are echoed on the palate and given added dimension by the addition of Semillon, which helps to showcase the juicy guava, passion fruit and pineapple upside-down cake flavors, alongside notes of fresh apple, vanilla and key lime pie.

The nose has an intensely perfumed fresh bouquet of pink grapefruit and watermelon combines with energetic spice notes underlined by invigorating minerality. Emulating the nose, the palate of crisp citrus and melon flavor carries a hint of dry white herb accompanied by a soft, round mouth feel resulting in a medium bodied, fresh, food-friendly wine.