Picazo Vineyards is operated by a husband and wife team that got started in the wine industry when they purchased a property in the Livermore Valley planed with several acres of Merlot. While they originally planned to sell their fruit to other producers, like so many others they couldn’t resist the chance to bottle their own wine. And once they got started, they decided to expand their production to other varieties, which required sourcing fruit from other vineyards. Their Sauvignon Blanc comes from the Yountville area of Napa Valley, toward the cooler Southern end of the valley, which allows Sauvignon Blanc to retain its acidity and freshness.
The 2009 Picazo Sauvignon Blanc is pale straw in color with just a hint of green. It boasts a lovely nose of tropical fruit, melon, pineapple and peach with mineral accents and a very subtle herbal note. Surprisingly full bodied for a Sauvignon Blanc, the palate is classy and full, but with good acidity to hold together the stone-fruit and petrol flavors. Like the Spring Mountain Sauvignon Blanc we offered several weeks ago, the Picazo shows the depth and richness that Sauvignon Blanc is capable of when it is aged in neutral oak barrels. With plenty of acidity to go along with the rich mouthfeel, this is a perfect wine for raw oysters, or pasta with shellfish and cream sauce. Another wonderful summer white, and one of the first 2009s to hit the market from California, this is bursting with fresh flavors!
Analysis:
Composition: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol: 14.2%
PH: 3.34
TA: 6.8 g/L
Production: 160 cases
Bottled: March 4, 2010
Release: May 2010
96 Points
Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, huckleberry, floral violet and savory spice. The palate is full and layered, with robust, age-worthy tannins and gorgeous flavors of dark berries, mocha and chocolate-covered cherries mingling with hints of graphite, fig and fine leather. Smooth tannins, firm structure and silky texture coat the palate on route to a long, generous finish.
97 Points
Aromas of blackberries, graphite, and crushed rock, along with cedar, tobacco leaf, cassis, and a medley of dry herbs and spice.
A substantial mouthfeel, full-bodied structure, firm tannins gracefully interweave, establishing a flawless equilibrium of acidity and pleasing fruit. Well-balanced acidity collaborate harmoniously to accentuate the intricate flavors of berry compote, spices, and oak nuances reminiscent of mocha.
95 Points
This stellar Napa Valley Red Blend marries lush plum and cherry with Malbec's dark berry depth and Petit Verdot's structure and spice. Layered with notes of blackberry, violet, and cocoa, this silky wine finishes with smooth tannins and a whisper of toasted oak. Robust and mouth-filling, with spicy nuances, smooth tannins, firm structure, and a long lingering finish.
97 Points
Lush and fleshy, with cassis, boysenberry, and blackberry notes guided by hints of alder and mesquite. Stays open but defined through the finish, with a buried hint of sweet tobacco. A rich, layered beast, this has a nose rife with currants, blackberries, vanilla, and light toast with flavors of mocha, plum, and Bing cherry that mingle harmoniously on the tongue.
Gold Medal
Generously packed with black cherry, cola, cassis, and plum that all intermingle together in a creamy, velvety texture with great layering, finishing with delightful notes of oak and spice. Persistent, well-defined structure, wonderfully balanced.
98 Points
Deep purple hue and an alluring aromatic profile of fresh blue fruits and delicate violets. On the palate, it delivers a seamless and layered texture, framed by supple, polished tannins and a refined sense of balance. Elegantly structured, it offers remarkable purity and finesse, finishing with graceful length and poise.
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