Estate Cuvée Blanc

Wild Oak Vineyard

Sonoma Valley

90 pts., Gold Medal | San Diego Wine & Spirits Competition

Tasting Notes

This Estate Cuvée Blanc epitomizes the essence of treasured white wines, blending Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier grapes from our Certified Sustainable Wild Oak Estate Vineyard. Its captivating aroma reveals white peach, nectarine, and a hint of butterscotch. On the palate, bright acidity and a creamy mid-palate are complemented by subtle hints of clove, leading to a lifted, crisp finish. Boasting a harmonious balance of richness and freshness, this wine is both layered and endlessly intriguing.

Vintage Notes

Cooler temperatures and an abundance of spring rains in 2023 pushed back the first day of harvest to the beginning of September. The later start and extra ripening time for the fruit allowed flavors and color to develop slowly for depth and concentration. Warm fall days spread out harvest to the end of October for many of the red varieties, with a final pick of Merlot delivered to the winery on November 2.

Vineyard Notes

While Viognier is ready to be picked in the summertime, Marsanne & Rousanne are notoriously late-ripening varieties that typically don’t hit their peak until early Fall. For this reason, the Viognier is often fermented first, with the Marsanne & Rousanne being picked and fermented almost three weeks later. All tanks are fermented cold at 55°F until flavors & acidity have balanced out, at which point they are barreled down for élevage.

Winemaker Notes

Naturally flavorful off the vine, the grapes for this cuvée (French for blend) are picked in the pre-dawn hours to retain their delicate flavors and aromas and sent immediately to press. The Viognier was fermented independently this vintage, to allow its unique characterisitics to shine. Marsanne and Rousanne were co-fermented in early October, in order to produce the most complexity. After slow, cool fermentations in temperature-controlled tanks, the wines are put to barrel. The final blend is put together during tasting trials after at least 6 months of aging, and a small amount of chardonnay is added to brighten the blend.

WINEMAKER

Katie Madigan

COLLECTION

Artisan Collection

GRAPE VARIETIES

32% Marsanne
32% Roussanne
32% Viognier
4% Chardonnay

ALCOHOL

14.2 %

CASES PRODUCED

732

AGING

9 Months

Bottling Date

July 2024

Barrel

French Oak, 100% Neutral

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