2023 Spottswoode Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Napa and Sonoma Counties 750 ml

Crafted by one of Napa’s most collectible estates, Robert Parker said Spottswoode’s Sauvignon Blanc was consistently “one of California's finest.” Unlike Eisele Vineyard ($135), Lail’s Georgia ($160), Dana Hershey Vineyard ($200), or Screaming Eagle (if you have to ask…), Spottswoode still represents a great value. 

Since its founding in 1982, exactly a century after the estate itself was established, Spottswoode has become an institution of Napa Valley. They’ve boasted a parade of legendary winemakers: Tony Soter, Pam Starr, Rosemary Cakebread, and Jen Williams. In 2011, 100-point winemaker Aron Weinkauf took the reins, and today, Spottswoode is making the greatest wines in their history—no small feat.

Elegance has always been a hallmark of the wines at Spottswoode, both on the Cabernet side and with their sought-after white wine, one of the iconic Sauvignon Blancs of California. 

The product of a growing season that was ideal for the hang-time-loving Sauvignon Blanc grapes of the North Coast, the 2023 benefitted from a moderate growing season and plenty of cool nights leading to a later harvest. This edition was grown in famed vineyards like Hyde in Carneros, and Heitz Brothers and Tofanelli in Calistoga, in addition to Spottswoode’s own prized estate vineyard. 

To build in additional complexity, Weinkauf ferments and ages this Sauvignon Blanc in a mixture of all sorts of vessels. Stainless steel barrels build texture from lees contact while preserving fresh fruit. French oak adds richness. He even uses a mixture of clay amphorae and concrete tanks, which allow some oxygen permeability, drawing out minerality and softening the wine without adding oak flavors.