• 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
    Cuvée 128
    Anderson Valley, Mendocino
    • (750 ml) $26.00
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Old-timers' perspective Recent Press

Most winemakers in Northern California hail the 2023 vintage as exceptional, praising the summer's temperature and near-perfect ripening conditions. We've been making wine in Anderson Valley since 1975 and this longstanding experience has undoubtedly shaped our perspective on grape growing. Our younger winemaking friends have a different take than us on the vintage. They keep harping on how late the 2023 harvest was—late September for Sauvignon Blanc—and how a few pesky showers caused some potential rot issues. As for our 2023 Sauvignon Blanc harvest, it happened later than the past decade's norm, which had reflected increasing global warming. Taking the longer view, prior to the last decade, October harvests in the Anderson Valley were par for the course.


[above] Aaron, next to some of Navarro's French oak ovals. The 2023 cuvée was created from four separate pickings featuring three different French clones.
Dumping a bin of 2023 Sauvignon Blanc from Foursight Vineyards into the hopper that feeds the destemmer. [below]


Following last year's welcome return of a late harvest, our 2023 Cuvée 128 bottling comprises 93% estate-grown grapes from Boonville, the easternmost part of Anderson Valley. The remaining 7% comes from Foursight Vineyards, just across the street (Highway 128). To preserve the vibrant fruit flavors, we cool-fermented all the juice, with two-thirds in French oak ovals and the rest in stainless steel. Afterward, we aged it sur lie for four months to enhance its richness. And boy, does it deliver! Expect enticing notes of fresh herbs, lemongrass and tropical hints of pineapple, all accentuated by the invigorating acidity of this cool vintage. We invite you to raise a glass to the remarkable 2023 vintage and persnickety old timers! Gold Medal winner.

Specifications
  • Harvested: Sept. 25 to 27, 2023
  • Sugars at harvest: 22.8° Brix
  • Bottled: Feb. 19 - 20, 2024
  • Cases produced: 2,422
  • Alcohol: 13.4%
  • Titratable acidity: 6.0 g/L
  • pH: 3.31