accolades

2005 Sauvignon Blanc
The Wine Advocate, Robert Parker

One of Napa’s best Sauvignon Blancs consistently emerges from the Spottswoode estate. Always elegant but with authoritative flavors, the 2005 is dry and shows hints of figs, honey, melon-like fruit, and citrus blossom. Lively acidity, a medium-bodied texture, and good concentration result in one of the more beautiful Sauvignon Blancs of the region. Drink it over the next several years. 91 Points (December, 2006)

International Wine Cellar, James Laube

Pale, bright yellow. Aromas of lime, quince, minerals and mint. Rich, ripe and fairly full for sauvignon, with harmonious acids framing the flavors of pear, mint and licorice. Finishes with a slight alcoholic warmth but manages to come off as suave and refreshing. 88 Points

Robert Whitley on Wine

The winery’s sauvignon blanc is probably the valley’s benchmark wine in that category. It has all of the earmarks of a classy white Bordeaux, which is what it was meant to be when winemaker Tony Soter bottled the first one back in the early 1980’s.

Spottswoode achieves this by sourcing grapes from around the valley to complement those harvested from the estate vineyard. Tropical-fruit aromas and oily textures come from vineyards farther north, tart citrus aromas and crisp acidity from cooler vineyards in the south, and those alluring stone-fruit aromas and softness on the palate from the sauvignon musque clone... The exceptional texture and mouth feel of this wine are achieved in part by the use of stainless steel barrels—rather than large stainless-steel vats—for a greater ratio of lees to wine.