Oregon wine: 2016 Brandborg Vineyard Sauvignon blanc

2016 Brandborg Vineyard Sauvignon blanc

Umpqua Valley
Southern Oregon
Oregon

13.6% alcohol

Screwcap closure

325 cases produced

Brandborg sources fruit for this wine from the Umpqua Valley’s Amaranth Vineyard, located in the shadow of Mt. Scott. The cool air and shallow soils there grow smaller Sauvignon blanc berry clusters with concentrated flavors, perfect for making a flavorful wine with acidity that balances a hint of sweetness. To retain acidity, some of the wine was kept in stainless steel tanks. The other portion was aged in neutral French oak, adding both texture and a full mouthfeel.

Bouquet:

Tropical aromas of passionfruit, pineapple and pineapple guava, as well as ripe nectarines and gooseberries. Mineral notes of wet stone are prominent and mingle playfully with sweet starfruit.

Palate:

This wine is filled with the mouth puckering tartness of passionfruit and green apples. With abundance minerality and a pleasant chalkiness, I also tasted notes of lemongrass, salinity, pineapple guava and lemon zest. It has a lovely crispness to it, without those “cat pee” notes often found in Sauvignon blanc. All these wonderful, mostly tart flavors stretched into a long, satisfying finish!