3 | Wine | Sauvignon Blanc, White, Napa Valley

"A lush, full melon/citrus character in the aroma and in the flavor. The cooler Napa Valley fruit provides a solid, crisp backbone that gives the wine an exciting liveliness that balances the rich creaminess from "sur lie" aging."

"It’s wonderfully fresh and aromatic, with bright scents of pink grapefruit, gooseberry, melon and green apple. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied with rich, vibrant citrus (grapefruit and kiwi), honeydew melon, spice and mineral flavors balanced by excellent acidity and a long, refreshing, mineral/chalky finish reminiscent of a fine White Bordeaux. A superb apèritif wine, our 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is also wonderfully versatile with food, especially salads and lighter seafood, poultry and pasta dishes."

"The nearly picture perfect growing season of 2012 has imprinted its own character on the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc. Make no mistake, the slate and minerality typical of Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc is all there in spades and anchors the wine in its Rutherford roots. It’s just that there is something more. A hint of white peach or perhaps a bit of lychee that only is there in the best years. The result is a bit of expansion in the culinary possibilities."

"This wine presents with attractive pale yellow hues speared by notes of youthful greens. Crisp, bright grapefruit and lime dominate the aromatics and are complemented with a hint of caper and lemon zest. Flavors of fresh lime and grapefruit persist with elements of kiwi, citrus and caper. This is a rich, generous and vibrant white wine with a brilliant, crisp finish."

"Straw yellow. Pungent aromas of pineapple, grapefruit and lime zest. Intense and savory, with excellent thrust to the citrus zest and floral flavors. Mondavi picks this fruit early (80% of it is from owned vineyards), using dry ice and SO2 to protect it from air at the pressing. Youthfully tight and very fresh. Yes, the sauvignon blancs were presented after the reserve chardonnay at my March tasting at Mondavi."

"Pale straw, with brilliant clarity. Lime leaf, grapefruit, passion fruit, guava, ripe melon, orange blossom, slate and some background varietal herbal notes. Crisp entry that leads to a full mid-palate with bright fruit flavors supported by generous natural acidity and layers of citrus, melon and passion fruit."

"Bracing, slightly raw aromas of lemon peel, grapefruit and pepper. Then surprisingly supple following the nose, with a dense, tactile lemony flavor intensified by sound acidity. Vibrant, very dry and delicate sauvignon blanc with excellent length."-Stephen Tanzer