2009 Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc -- Chateau Ste. Michelle Shopping Cart
$10.99
-- ...offers fresh aromas of herbs and lavender with a beautiful floral note...
TASTING NOTES
"The mostly stainless steel fermentation makes this a crisp, refreshing style of Sauvignon Blanc. The wine offers fresh aromas of herbs and lavender
with a beautiful floral note. Limited barrel aging gives the wine a rich character on the palate that would pair well with dishes with cream sauce." - Bob Bertheau, Winemaker
Winemaker Vintage Notes
A Tale of Two Vintages
"The 2009 growing season was in a word - perfect. The weather was dry, warm with lots of sunshine. We started the season a week late in blooming, but caught up as the perfect ripening weather lasted through September. The weather was not too hot, which allowed Sauvignon Blanc to retain its natural acidity and grassy character. The “tale of two vintages” has to do with the freeze that many vineyards experienced on the night of October 10th. The good news about this event is that most of our grapes were either already picked or had already reached a good level of maturity. It was at that point where we had to get in the rest of the fruit in short order, which we did. The 2009 whites have lots of fruit forward characters and plenty of natural acid."
VINEYARDS- Sourced from predominately our Horse Heaven Vineyard, as well as vineyards throughout the Columbia Valley.
- Columbia Valley vineyards lie in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains and receive just 6-8 inches of rainfall annually.
- Sandy soils with low fertility and low water-holding capacity enable precise control of vine growth.
- Warm, sunny days and cool evenings create ideal conditions for aroma and flavor development in the ripening grapes.
- A northerly latitude gives the Columbia Valley roughly two more hours of sunlight daily during the peak-growing season than California, increasing the region’s ability to ripen fruit.
WINEMAKING- Yeasts specifically designated designated for Sauvignon Blanc were used to initiate the three-week fermentation and release varietal aromas.
- Predominately stainless steel fermented to preserve Sauvignon Blanc’s delicate fruit character.
- 5% barrel fermentation for two months in older French oak for added complexity.
TECHNICAL DATA- Total acidity 0.64g/100ml
- Alcohol 13%
- pH 3.14
- Blend 89% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Semillon
FOOD PAIRING- Foods: chicken, clams, halibut, oysters
- Herbs: basil, garlic, oregano, rosemary
Other products in the category Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine / Columbia Valley:
-
2006 Ethos Merlot --
91 pts Wine Advocate
delivers sweet raspberry and bright black cherry fruit character with elegant, dusty tannins.
-
2008 Muscat Canelli -- a fan favorite in our winery’s retail shop, this wine makes a refreshing aperitif.
-
2008 Viognier -- offers a crisp citrus and ginger finish with just the right amount of body.
-
2006 Malbec -- fruit flavors give way to a caramel and blueberry finish.
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