Spottswoode, Napa County-Sonoma County (California) Sauvignon Blanc 2016

 From the outset, Spottswoode was a heavy hitter in the Napa Valley.  Its estate Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in St. Helena was coveted by other vintners, such as Duckhorn, and its Sauvignon Blanc vineyard was thought by the neighbors to be sublime.  When the Novak family decided more than 30 years ago that they were ready to make the transition to producers instead of growers, they hired the brilliant winemaker Tony Soter.  The rest is history.  Soter moved on long ago but the Spottswoode wines are good as ever, if not better.  The Sauvignon Blanc has undergone some changes, adding to the estate vineyard sources such as Stagecoach and Hyde vineyards. Winemaker Aron Weinkauf continues to use a combination of steel barrels (60 percent) and oak (35 percent) barrels during fermentation to increase lees contact for texture and complexity.  Concrete curves are used for the remaining five percent. Spottswoode’s innovative approach and attention to detail results in a Sauvignon that is both unique and in some ways in a class by itself.  The 2016 vintage is a beautiful wine that delivers a creamy texture along with classic Sauvignon flavors of tangerine, white peach and lemon zest.