2022 Sauvignon Blanc

Silver, 2024 Pacific Northwest Wine Competition

This Sauvignon Blanc comes to us from Lonesome Springs Ranch, an independent family-run operation, near the Red Mountain AVA, but having a little bit cooler growing conditions. LSR follows the Vinewise best management practice, a year-round process meeting strict production, maintenance, and sustainability requirements.

2022 was great growing season for this varietal and these grapes were picked at the optimal time. “Pretty as picture,” according to our winemaker, Lars. 

With this one, we were striving for a real balanced approach with our aging of this wine. About half was given over to neutral oak with malolactic dosing, the remainder in stainless. Pretty irreverent and rule-breaking, yes, but resulting in a much deeper Sauv Blanc driven with some real body.  

On the nose, the predominate “green” aromatics found in many Sauvignon Blancs are not present. Instead, by design we’ve chased away all the methoxypyrazine compounds during the (oak) barreling process, instead serving up a creamy, waxy aroma more along the lines of a traditional French Sauvignon Blanc.

The flavor of this wine is pretty durn extraordinary and a real stumper for those expecting “the usual.” It's creamy and there isn’t a bit of grassiness to be found. Rather, it serves up a mélange of white peaches, a mild Indian River Grapefruit, with a hint of a Key Lime on the finish.

We really respect what the terroir of Lonesome Springs imposes on this grape varietal. It ends up much more French, more subtle, and more like a wine from the Loire Valley, with not a dandelion or blade of grass in sight. Sorry New Zealand…  à votre santé, baby!

Yakima Valley AVA
Lonesome Springs Ranch Vineyard