Eisele Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (750ML)

95 JD / 94 WI / 18 JR

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, which includes a lot of Musqu clone, is a perfumed, exotic, incredibly floral example of the variety that just about jumps out of the glass. With bright acidity, medium body, and beautiful overall balance, it can be enjoyed today but will be even better with 2-3 years of bottle age and, I suspect, will evolve for over a decade if you're so inclined.-Jeb Dunnuck

The 2021 Eisele Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc offers vibrant notes of gooseberries, lemongrass, lime zest, and fresh grapefruit, with suggestions of chalk dust and sea spray, plus a waft of orange blossom. The medium to full-bodied palate is so energetic and vivacious, with a silken texture delivering intense citrus flavors, and a racy backbone, finishing long and steely.-Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

This is a beautiful wine showing a complex range of aromas and flavours including notes of grapefruit, hints of melon and tropical fruits, fresh hay, and a mineral element that brings focus and depth to the wine as a whole. There is a pleasing mouthfeel that balances fresh, juicy acidity, with just enough tension, and textural fleshiness to keep the focus on elegance with pleasure. Fresh, refined and lengthy. It wants more time in bottle but already offers a sense of completeness that speaks well of its future. The Sauvignon Blanc from this site consistently ages a long time, so anyone who enjoys aged white wine should feel free to keep this bottle in cellar to enjoy for years to come.-Elaine Chukan Brown, Jancis Robinson

Sauvignon Blanc is the white wine from the Eisele Vineyard. The parcels are located on the Eastern side of the property, where the hills provide ideal protection from the afternoon sun, preserving the freshness and energy of this wine. The blending of two Sauvignon Blanc clones: Sauvignon Musque with its slightly exotic flavors, and Sauvignon Blanc with a lean, gravely structure, produces a wine of great pleasure that speaks of the long warm summers and the dry cobbly soils. Starting with the 2013 vintage, extended elevage on the lees has added tension and aromatic complexity to this unique wine. 

The start of the 2021 vintage was reminiscent of 2018, with low cumulative rainfall during dormancy and warmer than average temperatures, leading to budbreak on April 1st. These trends continued in the Spring, with the lowest rainfall recorded during the period of canopy expansion (March to July). High climatic demand precipitated an early decline in soil moisture, leading to intervention in the vineyard, rarely seen at this stage of the growing season. To delay the onset of water stress, compost teas were applied to select parcels and a one-time irrigation was initiated for young vines in their construction phase. The older vines planted on north-facing slopes and deep clay soils at the base of the mountain benefitted from a cooling effect. Invigorated by the rapid mineralization of our cover crops, canopy growth created a dense foliage protecting the clusters from heat spikes. Seasonable temperatures from mid-July to mid-August produced optimum ripening conditions for Sauvignon Blanc. The canopy structure was shaped to expose the clusters to filtered light, encouraging flavor development, and preserving moisture at the heart of the plant. Plant adaptation led to smaller berries, with impressive levels of aromatic intensity and texture. The first Sauvignon Blanc Musqué was picked on August 11th and the later ripening block adjacent to the winery came last on August 21st. This relatively early pick allowed us to capture extraordinary energy and personality in the wines. The wines were aged on their lees for 12 months, in a combination of stainless-steel eggs (21%), concrete eggs (22%), used oak (30%) and new oak (27%). The grapes were certified ‘Organic’ by CCOF and ‘Biodynamic’ by Demeter. TASTING NOTES The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc emerges from the glass with scents of white musk, wild white peaches, guava and candied lemon. A swirl or two reveal fragrances of warm bread, vanilla, and cardamom, laced with mineral notes of wet pebbles and basil leaf. The mouthfeel is supple, round, and silky with a structure that extends the wine into a long creamy finish, lingering on verbena. Maturation in large oak vessels (French and Austrian foudres) has enhanced the journey of this wine, resulting in perhaps the most accomplished Sauvignon Blanc produced at Eisele Vineyard.

GRAPE SOURCE 75% Sauvignon Blanc Musqué 25% Sauvignon Blanc Eisele Vineyard, Napa Valley 1,003 cases made