Matanzas Creek Winery Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County, 2022

Matanzas Creek's Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc exemplifies the region's distinctive terroir through meticulous site selection and winemaking. Created from nine different vineyards and multiple clones, this sustainably-farmed wine offers vibrant citrus, white nectarine, and floral aromatics with brilliant acidity. The cooler 2023 vintage yielded exceptional balance and complexity, continuing the winery's tradition of crafting site-expressive wines since 1977.

Technical Information

• Producer: Matanzas Creek Winery
• Appellation: Sonoma County
• Varietal Composition: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon
• Clones: 77% Clone 1, 10% Musque Clone, 10% Clones 530, 906, 376, 3% Semillon Clone 315
• Winemaker: Marcia Torres Forno
• Alcohol: 12.8%
• TA: 6.6 g/L
• pH: 3.28
• RS: 1.9 g/L
• Élevage: Aged 5 months in stainless steel (87%) and neutral French oak (13%)
• Farming Practices: Sustainable, certified under the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance

Tasting Notes

• Aromas: Lime, lemon, citrus leaf, white nectarine, freesia white flowers, bosc pear
• Flavors: Key lime blossom, nectarine, honeysuckle, and kumquat
• Palate: Medium-to-light mouthfeel with balanced and bright acidity

Vintage Notes 2023 was cooler than average in Sonoma County. A cold, wet spring was followed by a modest summer and returning rains in the fall. To ensure proper ripening across their vineyards, Matanzas Creek proactively removed most leaves in the canopies, allowing for greater air flow and maximum sun exposure. This diligence in the vineyards allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and gain complexity, depth of flavor, and maintain brilliant acidity. Though a cooler growing season, 2023 will be remembered for brilliantly balanced, acid-driven wines.

Winemaking Philosophy In the past decade, Matanzas Creek has embarked on a quest to produce a Sauvignon Blanc that highlights the best of Sonoma County. Their Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc is derived from nine different vineyards whose fruit has been individually harvested, fermented, and evaluated to create a shining example of what Sonoma County has to offer. Each vineyard expresses distinctive aromatics and textures in its fruit, from white pepper to pineapple, extending to the most perceptible aromas of pomelo, fresh passion fruit, lime, and lemon. Using a multitude of yeast strains, they are able to highlight the unique characteristics and plethora of flavors that each vineyard fosters in the final wine.

Estate History Since 1977, Matanzas Creek Winery has focused on creating site-expressive wines from Sonoma County. Across the years, their approach has never wavered: cultivate a range of grape clones, explore various vineyard techniques, and use a variety of fermentation vessels to carefully craft balanced wines. Today, all Matanzas Creek Winery estate vineyards are sustainably farmed and are certified under the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.

Historical Acclaim

• 90 Points: v22, M.M., Tasting Panel, May 2023
• 92 Points: v21, A.F., JebDunnuck.com, July 2023
• 91 Points: v20, E.B., Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, July 2022
• 91 Points: v18, E.B., Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, December 2019