2013 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

100% Sauvignon Blanc planted in 2006 on land deemed unsuitable for red wine grapes. Aged in two used barrels. Pale greenish straw. This smells really quite rich as well as pungent – even figgy. Big and bold in the Napa idiom but with lots of well-integrated acidity too. Lightly smoky on the nose, which had a suggestion of blackcurrant leaves about it. Definitely too powerful to drink without food. It reminded me a bit of Araujo Sauvignon Blanc. Sufficient tension for the medium term. (JR)

My first look at Screaming Eagle’s super-expensive, rare 2013 Sauvignon Blanc left me somewhat desirous of more character and intensity, so I’m perplexed about the pricing. The wine is certainly crisp and dry, with notes of grapefruit as well as a touch of delicate peach and honeysuckle, but there’s nothing terribly special about it, and I can think of a dozen or so Sauvignon Blancs made in nearby vineyards that are richer, more complex, and just better wines at much lower price points. That said, it’s a very good effort, but the pricing is absurd.