Mitsuko's Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Wine Carneros, Napa Valley

Wine Stats

Tasting Notes

Our 2010 Mitsuko's Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc entices with its vivid and complex aromas of Meyer lemons, pineapple, mango, kefir lime, lemongrass and verbena, with undertones of tangerine, nectarine and flint. The wine possesses vibrancy and minerality, with a pitch-perfect acidity counterbalanced by richness, depth and lengthy fruit flavors.

Vineyard & Vintage Notes

Rainfall returned after several drier-than-average dry years, and this wet weather combined with very cool spring growing conditions pushed bud break, flowering and fruit-set back by at least two weeks at the front end of the growing season Continued cooler weather in the early summer maintained the ten-day to two-week lag into veraison. This cool season was unexpectedly punctuated by a two-day heat spike into triple digits, with grapes at various sites experienced some sunburn, which then required subsequent removal prior to harvest. Cooler than average temperatures returned again in early September, but gave way to a welcome, warm and consistent Indian Summer in mid-October, resulting in optimal flavor maturity and structural development across the board.

Our first small pick of Sauvignon Blanc occurred on September 30th, producing wine lots with linear vibrant and cleansing acidity together with bold gooseberry, pink grapefruit and shiso leaf aromas. The remaining fruit was harvested on October 9th and 14th, producing wine lots possessing a broad array of citrus, peach, nectarine, mango, pineapple and melon flavors and aromas and a richer, broader impact in the mouth.

Winemaking Notes

We fermented nearly 80% of this wine in 130 gallon French oak puncheons, which further broadens the mouth structure of the wine. The remaining wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures to optimally preserve its intense fruit and crisp minerality. We discourage malolactic conversion for these wines in order to retain a bright and refreshing acidity. To balance this vivid profile, these wines receive extensive lees stirring to enhance their mouthfeel and texturally enrich the lots.