Reviews & Ratings

2011 Grgich Hills Sauvignon Blanc "Essence"

Winery: Grgich Hills

Vintage: 2011

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Essence"

Wine Category: Sauvignon Blanc

Grape blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Napa Valley

State or country: CA

Price: $48

Cases produced: 699

KWG Score: 93.6 (based on 3 reviews)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good+ (91)

Review date: April 7, 2013

Wine Review: This pale yellow colored Sauvignon Blanc from Napa opens with a pleasant and inviting mild grapefruit bouquet with a hint of lime. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic, crisp and juicy. The flavor profile is a very tasty mild grapefruit with notes of nicely integrated minerality and a touch of lime. The finish is dry and very refreshing. This wine would pair well with grilled swordfish with a lemon butter drizzle. Enjoy - Ken

Winemaker Notes: Using naturally occurring yeasts found on the grapes, we fermented the juice in 1,500-gallon French oak casks that were temperature controlled for a slow fermentation to retain all of the grapes' delicate aromas. We selected the best lots of the vintage, then aged the wine nine months in the same large oak casks. This aging adds another layer of complexity, but the larger casks don’t overwhelm the fruit flavors with oak. Classic flavors of Ruby Red grapefruit, Meyer lemon, and white peach are supported by pleasing minerality. The full mouthfeel, concentrated flavors and lingering finish make it the ideal wine with a goat cheese salad, smoked salmon, sauteed mussels, or by itself as an aperitif.

Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell Grgich Hills 2011 Essence Sauvignon Blanc.