2019 Sauvignon Blanc

This set of 2018s and 2019s from The Vineyardist was one of the highlights from my fall tastings. Getting to the top is hard, but staying there and improving is even harder. That is exactly what proprietors Dirk Fulton and Becky Kukkola have done. The 2018s are gorgeous, but the 2019s are off the charts. Sadly, production in 2018 is down about 40% because the wildfires brought an end to harvest season. The wines generally see a two day cold soak followed by 10-14 days on skins, with aging in 100% new oak. The biggest changes here have been a focus on various parcels within the ranch, a focus on smaller picks and a move to harvesting 4-5 days earlier than in the past, all of which have brought an unreal level of precision to the wines. Tony Biagi is the winemaker.