The 2022 harvest has started with the early ripening Sauvignon Blanc arriving at the winery. Cornerstone Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, from the famed Farina Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain is a classic “California” style Sauvignon Blanc. This well-established vineyard is planted on well-drained soils at the base of Sonoma Mountain. The fog burns off early in the morning, giving us long sunny warm days, ideal for ripening Sauvignon Blanc.
The summer of 2022 has been wonderfully moderate in temperature, allowing for long, slow flavor development and deliciously extended hang time. We anticipate gloriously flavorful wine from these ideal conditions. As the heat approaches in September to hasten the ripening of the remaining harvest, the white wines enjoyed a leisurely end of their ripening cycle without any drastic heat spikes to slow their progress. If grapes could smile the Sauvignon Blanc would be grinning and giddy. They arrived at the winery cool and crisp since they were picked in the cold hours before dawn, brimming with the perfect balance of ripe sugar and balancing acidity, a winemaker’s dream. Now the challenge is not to get in their way. When the grapes are this good you just want to let the wine express itself and shine without too much fuss and bother. Sometimes less is more.
One of the hallmarks as well as the challenges of making a single vineyard wine, red or white, is that the location will express itself in a distinct way. It should taste “of a place. “Choosing a vineyard that expresses exactly what you want is key because you do not have the option of blending other grapes to augment or complete the flavor profile. That is the beauty of Farina. It produces Sauvignon Blanc that is pleasing and complete all on its own. The flavors we get from this soil, climate, and vine combination are redolent with bright citrus character with the added complexity of some tropical fruit notes. Zesty flavors of ripe Meyer lemon are complemented by crisp Granny Smith apple and juicy pineapple. That complexity is part of what made Farina famous for growing Sauvignon Blanc.