($30): Duckhorn Vineyards continues to impress despite their long and stellar track record.  Perhaps best known for their powerful, yet elegant, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, they also make noteworthy Chardonnay and, judging from this example, Sauvignon Blanc.  They also know what they can — and cannot — do in Napa.  So when they branched out into Pinot Noir, they headed north to Anderson Valley and later Russian River Valley with their Goldeneye and Migration labels, respectively.  That strategy makes me believe that they wouldn’t make Sauvignon Blanc in Napa if they didn’t think they could succeed with it.  And they did.  More similar to luxurious white Bordeaux than a Sancerre, this Sauvignon Blanc marries a creamy texture with just the right amount of zing.  It brings a new level of sophistication to Sauvignon Blanc with its layers of flavors and precise and lasting finish.
93 Michael Apstein Aug 30, 2016