Joy Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is often an afterthought for those of us with a focus on red wines but our commitment to Bordeaux varieties means that it’s just as important as our Cabernet and Merlot.

Joy is a delicate, dry white wine which we first produced in 2007. The wine surprised everyone by having slightly warm climate attributes such as guava, passionfruit and grapefruit on the nose with very subtle hints of green apple, pear, pineapple and melon in the palate all carried by a refreshing, slightly earthy finish.

It’s a summer afternoon and we are all feeling like some cool seafood - oysters, scallops, crab, clams, lobster, prawns - any shellfish with zingy flavors or a citrus or garlic marinade or dressing like big fat garlicky prawns . . . mmmm.

Good texture and appealing character make our Joy Sauvignon Blanc a treat to pair with food types like Chinese, Thai and Japanese. Shellfish will pair well as will white fish or cheese, particularly Chèvre and Joy is a perfect pairing with sushi.

Joy is great with recipes that contain basil, coriander, rocket and especially mint. Salads with goat cheese and feta, asparagus, avocado or grilled red peppers, fresh tomato salads or salads with fennel, mango or papaya are all great with Joy. Avoid dishes with creamy sauces or cooked tomato or dark savory sauces.

• Serving Temperature: 45°F- 50°F
• Glass Type: Riedel - White
• Decant: No
• Age: Up to 3 years
• Pronunciation: saw vee nyon blahnk

Joy ~ great delight or happiness - truly is a joyous wine to be enjoyed in the summer sun. Joy was also chosen by Bill as the name of this tall blond wine to honor Dawn's tall, blond mother, Joy.

Sauvignon Blanc - from the French words sauvage ("wild") and blanc ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France, particularly the Loire Valley and Bordeaux Regions.

Sauvignon Blanc is known for making crisp, acid-driven varietal wine with minerality and robust citrus flavors. While many grapes benefit from being stressed, with minimal nutrients or water, many feel that Sauvignon Blanc’s character does better on a more fertile soil, like Dry Creek Valley’s Yolo loam.

Eons of flooding to the Dry Creek Valley floor resulted in deep, well-draining, mineral-rich sedimentary soils that impart distinctive flavors to our Sauvignon Blanc grapes which thrive in Dry Creek Valley thanks to its notable diurnal temperature variation–it loves a lot of sun, but develops the most complexity when night temperatures drop significantly.

In the cooler pockets of Dry Creek Valley, the grape will show more balance, and less muscular herbal tones. The cooling influence from the appellation’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the nearby Russian River Valley help ensure even ripening conditions year to year.