2023 Kerr Sauvignon Blanc
Available
94 Points- James Suckling
"We barrel-ferment our Sauvignon Blanc to highlight its complexity and create a more textural white Bordeaux style wine. This wine's quite distinct from the über-grassy modern Sauvignons, with great structure and beautifully layered fruit." Cristie Kerr
Tasting Notes
The 2023 Kerr Sauvignon Blanc is a vibrant, fresh wine, with aromas of gooseberry, sage, granny smith apple, guava, fresh cut lily of the valley, and crushed rocks. On the palate, this wine is bright and smooth, with more tropical notes and flavors of white peach, white fig, guava, and orange blossom. Mouth-watering acidity lifts the aromas and flavors, while pastry flour tannins add dimension to the long finish.
Blend
74% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Musqué, 6% Sémillon
AVA
Napa Valley
Aged
7 months in 100% Neutral French oak
Alcohol %
14.1
Winemaker
Helen Keplinger
Winemaker Notes
Whole cluster pressed and 100% barrel fermented in neutral French oak. Aged sur lie in barrel and stirred once a month. No malolactic fermentation.
Harvest Date
Each lot was harvested in September 2023 during the cool early mornings
Agro Ad Amphorum
Latin Translation: From Soil to Bottle
The Sauvignon Blanc is grown in the wonderful Wappo hill vineyard in the hills of Stags Leap. The Sauvignon Musque is grown at the top of Atlas Peak at the Stagecoach Vineyard, while the Semillon portion is old vines from the historic Tofanelli vineyard in Calistoga.
Learning from the previous years of drought we were prepared for another year of little rain. Starting our irrigation sooner lead to more vigorous canopies, and greater protection from the intense heat of the sun. Though a larger yield than 2021, 2022 was still below average yields. All of the white grapes we harvested had been picked prior to the heat spike which occurred over labor day weekend. This led to concentrated flavors that showcase the quality of this vintage.
Philosophy
Our Sauvignon Blanc is more akin to the traditional Bordeaux Blanc, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Musque and Semillon. Each component offers its unique contribution to the blend - pure fruit from the Sauvignon Blanc, beautiful florals from the Musque, along with rich texture and depth from the Semillon. The wine is barrel fermented in 100% French oak, aged sur lie for 6 months, and stirred monthly to build texture.
