2018 Tiara Sauvignon Blanc

We pushed hard this year to try new techniques, barrels, and yeasts, to see if we could maximize the potential of our Sauvignon Blanc. Windy Flats has three different clones of Sauvignon Blanc that Doug Hill has selected to fit the unusual site nestled in a cliff on the western side of Wooden Valley. This year we kept them separate and harvested at a broad range of degrees Brix, and tried whole cluster pressing and skin maceration on many lots. We separated dirty juice from free run and from press lots and put all of them to barrel as separate lots. We had a wonderful Semillon this year, so we have 15% of it in this blend. Almost all the lots turned out very well, so the final Tiara blend is the result of how the wines fit together. The nose is big and fruity, and the palate is clean, elegant, and complex. Winemaker Alison Doran’s tasting notes: The 2018 Tiara has beautiful aromas consisting of honeydew melon and ripe pineapple. The palate has a broad reach with lively acidity and pineapple and lime leaf flavors that persist all the way to the finish. This Sauvignon Blanc will grow over the next few years to give the complexity and polish that cool climate viticulture is known for.