Sauvignon Blanc of the Year

Cliff Lede, 2005 Napa Valley – $20: Vibrant, spicy aromas of white grapefruit and verbena, accented by apricot and lychee fruit exhibit a pleasantly aromatic, grassy quality reminiscent of lemon grass and straw, enhanced by a note of minerality. Rich and round, yet crisp with lively acidity, this elegant, mouth-filling Sauvignon serves up loads of citrus-pear flavors enlivened by lime zest and minerality. A supremely elegant rendering of the varietal that’s easy on the oak and unburdened by malolactic fermentation lingering on the finish. (2,637 cases)

Top Ten Sauvignon Blancs of the Year

Chalk Hill, 2004 Estate Chalk Hill, Russian River Valley – $25: No more Sauvignon Blanc as “faux Chardonnay” from this winery; this is a wonderfully fragrant, varietal Sauvignon offering aromas of white grapefruit mingled with pleasant green herbs and dried rose petal. Elegant and medium-full bodied with bright, balancing acidity, the wine’s complex flavors match the nose with the addition of ripe white melon; it never loses the lovely grassiness, which persists into the mineral-tinged close. Barrel fermented (but no malolactic) and blended with small amounts of semillon and sauvignon gris. (3,000 cases)

Clos Pegase, 2005 Mitsuko’s Vineyard, Carneros-Napa Valley – $19: Exuberant nose of gooseberry, freshly cut hay, white grapefruit, succulent pear and quince. The palate is round, slightly creamy and expansive, bursting with grassy citrus and pear, and hinting at minerality. Elegant and exciting, with vibrant acidity and a long, grassy-flinty finish. (1,000 cases / screwcap)

Geyser Peak, 2005 Block Collection River Road Ranch, Russian River Valley – $21: Fresh, aromatic, moderately assertive scents of lemon thyme, flinty minerality, honeydew melon, quince, white grapefruit and lime zest. Tangy and ripe with bright, lively acidity, this beautifully balanced, silky-smooth Sauvignon delivers the deep flavors promised by the nose, leading with grapefruit and a crushed-stone mineral note, and finishing with a squeeze of citrus and subtle grassiness. (2,600 cases)

Honig, 2005 Napa Valley – $15: Fresh and zingy on the nose with forward, fragrant aromas of ripe pear, honeydew melon, ruby red grapefruit and freshly cut grass. Refreshing and delicious with palate-cleansing acidity, this joyful Sauvignon is loaded with ripe fruit announced by the nose and is not afraid to flaunt its varietal grassiness, which resonates in a long, grassy finish. Superior quality at a very fair price. (25,000 cases / synthetic closure)

Robert Mondavi, 2005 Fume Blanc, Napa Valley – $18: Jasmine-tinged aromas of just-cut hay, Bosc pear, honeydew melon and lemon zest. Round and smooth with lively acidity and copious flavors of white fruit and citrus accented by varietal herbaceousness and mineral notes, the wine impresses with its moderately creamy texture attributable to sur lie aging in both oak and stainless steel. (55,398 cases)

Morgan, 2005 Monterey – $16: Comprised mostly of the aromatically intense musque clone of sauvignon blanc, along with 12% semillon and 8% sauvignon blanc, this wine offers forward, tantalizing aromas of sweet pea and gooseberry atop ripe Fuji apple, succulent Comice pear, kiwi and citrus, all of which translate nicely to the round, juicy, almost fleshy, palate, buoyed by crisp acidity and showing fine depth and concentration. Long, gooseberry-marked close. (8,000 cases)

Joseph Phelps, 2005 Napa Valley – $30: Blended with 10% semillon and fermented sur lie for nine months in a combination of new (15%) and 2- to 3-year-old French oak, this classy, Graves-style Sauvignon entices with aromas of straw and lemon grass atop citrus and honeydew melon. Generous and flavorful with a medium-full body and crisp acidity, the elegant and poised wine delivers deep white fruit-citrus flavors that are enlivened by freshly cut grass and flinty mineral notes, lingering into the extended, white pepper-tinged close. (3,500 cases)

St. Supery, 2005 Dollarhide, Limited Edition, Napa Valley – $35: Forward, very pleasant and appealing aromas of lemon grass, pink grapefruit, gooseberry, white peach and lime zest. Broad, silky-smooth palate with crisp acidity, delivering generous, lip-smacking flavors that replicate the nose along with the addition of Key lime and guava that are deep and complex. Super-long, grassy finish. (600 cases)

Sauvignon Republic, 2005 Russian River Valley – $18: Nose of grapefruit, lime zest, juicy pineapple and subtle green herbs. Smooth and seamless, as well as fresh and clean on the palate with a medium-full body and crisp acidity, this refreshing Sauvignon offers citrus flavors accented by tropical fruit and pleasant, green herbaceous notes that linger in the mineral-tinged, extended finish. (10,000 cases / screwcap)

White Oak, 2005 Russian River Valley – $15: Bright, forward, slightly floral aromas of white grapefruit, honeydew melon, pear, creamy citrus and freshly cut grass. Smooth, silky and rich on the palate (without heaviness), delivering persistent, delectable flavors that echo the nose, buoyed by vibrant acidity, adding up to an elegant, wonderfully varietal Sauvignon Blanc. (4,875 cases)

Other Outstanding Sauvignon Blancs

Bernardus, 2005 Griva Vineyard, Monterey County-Arroyo Seco – $20 (765 cases)

Brassfield, 2005 High Valley – $15 (2,917 cases)

Chateau St. Jean, 2004 Fume Blanc, La Petite Etoile Vineyard, Russian River Valley – $20 (2,609 cases)

Dry Creek Vineyard, 2004 Taylor’s Vineyard Musque, Dry Creek Valley – $25 (653 cases)

Dry Creek Vineyard, 2005 Fume Blanc, Sonoma County – $14 (33,548 cases)

Flora Springs, 2005 Soliloquy, Napa Valley – $25 (1,484 cases)

Gainey, 2005 Limited Selection, Santa Ynez Valley – $20 (2,200 cases)

Geyser Peak, 2005 California – $12 (112,000 cases)

Grgich Hills, 2005 Fume Blanc, Estate Grown, Napa Valley – $25 (17,400 cases)

Guenoc, 2005 Lake County – $11 (13,000 cases)

Handley, 2004 Handley Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley – $15 (1,540 cases)

Kenwood, 2005 Sonoma County – $13 (144,000 cases) Best Value Selection – BL

Kenwood, 2005 Reserve, Sonoma County – $25 (2,700 cases)

Matanzas Creek, 2004 Sonoma County – $20 (10,000 cases)

Patianna, 2005 Mendocino County – $18 (6,621 cases / screwcap)

Rancho Zabaco, 2005 Reserve, Russian River Valley – $18 (3,800 cases)

Rochioli, 2005 Russian River Valley – $24 (4,270 cases)

St. Sup?ry, 2005 Napa Valley – $19 (40,000 cases / synthetic closure)

Selene, 2005 Hyde Vineyards, Carneros – $26 (2,236 cases)

Silverado, 2005 Miller Ranch, Napa Valley – $18 (14,300 cases / screwcap)

Two Wives, 2005 Napa Valley – $15 (670 cases)

Voss, 2005 Rutherford – $19 (6,500 cases)

Wildhurst, 2005 Reserve, Lake County – $11 (2,950 cases)