2016 Provenance Vineyards Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc

91 Points

Provenance 2016 Napa Valley Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc_750

Regional Exclusive

2016 Provenance Vineyards Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc

Vintage 2016

Wine Type White

Varietal Sauvignon Blanc

Region Napa Valley

Winemaker Trevor Durling

Captures the flavor profile of Sauvignon Blanc grapes grown in the Rutherford AVA, in the center of Napa Valley. Fermented with three different techniques to capture fruit character and develop complexity. Aged sur lie with frequent stirrings for a silky mouthfeel. Semillon (for melon notes and texture) and Muscat (for floral perfume) completed the blend

Appellation: Rutherford
Barrel Aging: 5 Months, 60% Stainless Steel Tanks, 20% Stainless Steel Barrels, 20% French Oak Barrels
Varietal Composition: 94% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, 1% Muscat
ABV: 13.9%
Production: 10,032 cases

91 Points - JamesSuckling.com

“A zesty and fresh style with lemon and grapefruit character. Medium body, bright acidity and a clean finish. Some phenolic tension to this. Drink now. Screw cap." - James Suckling, November 2017

90 Points - Wine Spectator

“Lemon, peach and pear flavors are fresh and vibrant on a supple body, with spice, green tea and dried floral accents to the expressive finish." - MaryAnn Worobiec, November 2017

Tasting Notes

Our 2016 Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc delights the senses with notes of grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine and honeydew melon, perfumed with a nuance of honeysuckle. A gentle framing of toasty oak came from a judicious selection of new French oak barrels, while aging on the yeast enhanced the wine’s texture and weight on the palate. Small amounts of Semillon and Muscat added hints of melon and floral, and enhanced the silky mouthfeel. This Sauvignon Blanc’s bright acidity makes it especially refreshing and food-friendly.

Vineyard Notes

Our Sauvignon Blanc shows a sense of place from outstanding vineyards in the Rutherford American Viticultural Area (AVA), with the majority from our own vineyards. This appellation, in the geographic center of Napa Valley, is outstanding for Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Each block was picked at its peak maturity and fermented separately to increase complexity.

Vintage Notes

Provenance 2016 Rutherford Sauvignon offers lovely, complex citrusy notes and a bright, balanced palate from the excellent vintage. While Napa Valley received about two-thirds of normal rainfall, the effect of the three previous years of drought resulted in smaller clusters and grapes. This resulted in , thus giving the wine great concentration. Waves of warmer and cooler temperatures typified the vintage, however overall temperate weather made for an easy growing season. Ideal temperatures during bloom in May provided for better fruit-set than in 2015; although yields were still slightly below average, quality was fabulously high.

Winemaking Notes

We pressed the grapes as whole clusters and then fermented the juice in a combination of stainless steel tanks (60 percent) and small barrels (40 percent). The tank-fermented wine captured Sauvignon Blanc’s lively fruit expression, while the barrel-fermented portion enhanced lees contact during the sur lie aging. While roughly half of the barrels were stainless steel, we fermented 20 percent of the wine in new and once-used French oak barrels for toasty oak nuances, and a rich layer of complexity in the blend. Bâtonnage during the five months of sur lie aging developed the wine’s silky texture.