2016 Sidebar Sauvignon Blanc High Valley Lake County

There are two Sidebar Sauvignon Blanc bottlings, and this one is sourced from the Brassfield Estate Vineyard, which sits at 1,800 feet of elevation in a cool mesoclimate of Lake County. The ten-year-old vines delivered clusters at 22.6 degrees Brix, which were whole-cluster pressed and fermented with ambient yeast in a mix of neutral oak and stainless steel. The wine aged sur lie for eight months in a mix of barrels, and did not undergo malolactic.

It’s a shiny lemon yellow color with a breezy fragrance ornamented with lemon peel and Mandarin orange zest. It feels loose and easy on the tongue, with little of the flagrant tropicality that can characterize New World Sauvignon Blanc. The lees aging added volume and a savory core to what is otherwise a light-textured, zesty wine with a bracing finish.

Like the other Sidebar wines, it is an exceptional value. Pair it with spring salads, ceviche, sushi and sashimi, and delicate white fish. Also the perfect companion for fresh chèvre.