2018 Round Pond Estate Sauvignon Blanc Rutherford Napa Valley (375 mL) Half-Bottle

Balance, precision, and vibrancy are the hallmarks you expect from a great Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. But coming from Round Pond’s Rutherford estate—which is sandwiched between Andy Beckstoffer’s Georges III Vineyard and Caymus headquarters—and bearing the influence of the man Jay McInerney called “the most successful winemaker in California,” those characteristics take on new meaning and stunning complexity. 

That’s what you get from the 2018 Round Pond Estate Sauvignon Blanc, the Rutherford-raised white that stands with the stars of Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc every vintage. And in the near-perfect 2018 season, its 92-point score from Wine Enthusiast bested even the biggest names—you know the ones.

That’s impressive at its SRP of $28, but here’s where a bargain becomes a no-brainer: We’ve got Round Pond’s gorgeous Sauvignon Blanc in half-bottles for under $20. Think about how much you’ll need from late spring until fall, because it’s not every day—it’s not every year—that we’re able to bring you an estate-grown Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc for a song.

Crafted by Round Pond winemaker John Wilson and 100-point-scoring consultant Thomas Rivers Brown, this shimmering lemon-hued white comes exclusively from Round Pond’s Rutherford estate. Bringing bright herbs, exotic guava, and stone fruits together on the nose and boasting a palate of piquant lemon-lime followed by ripe nectarine and more fresh guava, it’s buzzing with the citrus-laden zip and mouthwatering minerality that makes Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc second to none. 

The gorgeous layers in the 2018 Round Pond start in the vineyard, which is planted with two Loire clones and a rare Sauvignon Musque clone. Workers at Round Pond capture different snapshots of the fruit by making three separate passes at harvest. Then Wilson and Brown (with whom Wilson has worked for more than a decade) focus on delivering fruit purity in the bottle, fermenting the three clones in stainless steel, and prohibiting malolactic fermentation. What results is a core of vibrant fruit, complemented by a heady pop of aromatics from the rare Sauvignon Musque clone. 

This is a white whose gorgeous complexity you can contemplate all you like, and whose lip-smacking, mouthwatering charm will provide the perfect foil for fish off the grill, afternoons on the patio, and all the pleasures of spring and summer. This is the wine we turn to in those moments, so we’re stocking up. We encourage you to do the same.