We are very excited to introduce a Sauvignon Blanc into our lineup. Cuvée Renee is named after Kent’s sister (and our business partner) Renee Humphrey. If you’re looking for a tropical, fruity, delicious SB, this is your wine! Our goal for SB is to make just one blend that is as layered, complex and complete as possible, and we think we’re off to a great start with the 2012 vintage.
A quick note about style: while we appreciate the many variations of SB out there, our goal with Cuvée Renee is to showcase the fruity tropical side of the grape. If you prefer a predominantly grassy, herbal style, this may not be your cup of tea. Check out the tasting notes below for our personal impressions.
Pronounced tropical aromas of passion fruit, papaya, lemon-lime zest and honeysuckle practically fly out of the glass. Then peach, pineapple and dried apricot flavors are carried through on the palate by a wonderful balance of acidity and texture, with hints of traditional hay and lemon peaking out on the finish. We cold fermented 86% in stainless steel at 48º to 50º F, and the remaining 14% in carefully chosen new French oak, reaching temperatures closer to 65º F. Once blended, all the wine went into neutral barrels for an additional month of aging before going to bottle with no malolactic fermentation. The result is fruity, fresh, lively, textured and complex.
A final note about clarity: we took precautions to decrease the formation of protein haze in the wine, but these techniques can also strip away wonderful aromas and flavors. At the end of the day, we were only willing to go so far. So keep your wine cool to avoid a magical appearance of sedimentary haze in the bottles. That said, if it should happen, rest assured it's natural and should not affect your enjoyment of the wine!
VINEYARDS
89% Dry Stack, 11% Hummingbird Hill
CLONES
89% Rauscedo, 6% Sauvignon Musque, 5% Clone 1
DRINKING WINDOWS
Prime drinking: summer 2013 to summer 2014 Graceful ageability: drink it young and cool!
STATS
pH: 3.36 | TA: 6.7 g/L? | Alcohol: 14.4%? Bottling: January 18, 2013 | Release: Spring 2013 Cases Produced: 172
Direct sales are allocated exclusively to EK Allocation List members at a 10% discount. Orders of 6+ bottles save an additional 50% off shipping. New releases ship twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall. Join EK Allocation List
CUSTOMIZED ALLOCATIONS
You may customize your spring and fall allocations any way you like, from 0–12 bottles of each wine. (Small-lot and list-only wines will have lower limits.) To modify your allocations, click on MY ALLOCATION above. Join EK Allocation List
REORDERS
Wines often sell out at or close to release, so we encourage making the most of your spring and fall allocations. As long as wine remains, you are welcome to reorder online through our EK Special Order store. Or contact John Gillis at john@erickentwines.com or 415.244.9453.
