2021 Sauvignon Blanc

Whitehall Lane is known for a Bordeaux style, fruit-forward, and crisp Sauvignon Blanc. A majority of the fruit used for this wine was whole-cluster pressed. A small portion of the fruit was destemmed and pumped as whole berries directly into the tank for 18 hours of grape skin contact. This process creates a big, fleshy mid-palate weight to enhance the wine. Before fermentation, a portion of the Sauvignon Blanc juice underwent cold stabulation (chilling at 40 F) for 8 days, increasing the texture and aromatics. 75% of the fruit was cool fermented in stainless steel tanks while 25% was fermented in French oak barrels (15% new, 10% neutral). Native yeast fermentation took place in barrel, with sur lies (on the lees) and battonage (stirring) for four months. All these winemaking techniques create a unique Sauvignon Blanc with enhanced flavors and aromas, whilst offering a bold, round mid-palate and long, lingering finish.  

The 2021 growing season occurred during a drought year, with little rain on record for the Napa Valley. With less water in the ground, yields in the vineyard were lower but resulted in the perfect concentration of the juice to skin ratio. Bud break occurred in early March, leading to a Spring that allowed for flawless flowering and set for the grape clusters. Summer was quite warm and long, leading to an early harvest season with our Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes ripening from late August to early-September.