Winemakers in Lake County produce Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Rieslings, even the odd Roussanne. But the white wine most closely identified with the region is Sauvignon Blanc.
Just over 22 percent of vineyard space — some 1,900 acres — is devoted to the varietal, and for good reason. The grape responds to long stretches of sunlight at high elevation, to cool nights and to the different soils in the region’s sub-appellations. As a result, a winemaker would have to bumble in Clouseau-like fashion in order to turn out a less than stellar bottle. A dozen Lake County Sauvignon Blancs earned medals at February’s San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
When judges sampled Sauvignon Blancs for this year’s Lake County wine awards, the 2013 vintage from Shooting Star stood out from this much admired pack.
Pour a glass and you’ll discover why. It presents itself with a rush of fresh citrus aromas, backed by hints of sprouting grass. It is bright and crisp, even on the nose. What strikes you after the first few sips it the wine’s remarkable balance. There is a brisk, acidic quality, yet this is held at arm’s length so the finish shows lemon zest without the tart bite.
Winemaker Jed Steele — Shooting Star is a Steele Wines label — achieved this restraint without oak. The Sauvignon Blanc rested in nothing but stainless steel. Instead, he worked with three individual yeast strains and blended from these slightly different barrels.
“We wanted to accentuate the fruit flavors,” explained Steele Wines general manager Dave Ostberg.
The 2013 Shooting Star Sauvignon Blanc bursts on the palate, with fresh, ripe grapefruit and gooseberry, softened by hints of melon. The combination is as pleasant and enticing as it is intense, but before the wine allows you to adjust to volume of fruit flavor, the calming notes of cut grass and a stoic mineral quality edge in.
This is a well-rounded wine — crisp and food friendly, yet subtle enough to stand on its own. It carriers reminders of the Loire Valley.
Of course, 2013 was a strong vintage for Lake County whites. And Steele culled most of the grapes from the Dorn family’s Loasa Vineyard, drawing on one of the area’s most experienced wine grape growers.
“Recognizing good fruit — that’s where it starts,” Ostberg said.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
