Wine Last Sold on: January 9, 2013
Hartwell Vineyards
Featured Wine:
2011 Estate Sauvigon Blanc
| Varietal: | Sauvignon Blanc |
| Region: | California: Carneros - Los Carneros (Napa) |
| Avg. Price: | $35.00 |
| Wine Spies: | $25.99 |
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SUPERIOR WINE ALERT:
We only showcase wines that we love. While our emphasis is on quality first, every now and again we come across a real standout wine that rises above. When we do, we issue alerts like this one.
Mission Codename: Exemplary
- Operative
- Agent Red
- Objective
- Return to Hartwell Estate Vineyards, a Wine Spies Operative favorite for almost six years. Secure an ample allocation of their flagship white wine, the extraordinary 2011 Sauvignon Blanc.
- Mission Status
- Accomplished!
- Winemaker
- Benoit Touquette
Final Assessment
Today’s 2011 Hartwell Estates Sauvignon Blanc is one of the very finest we have ever tasted. Built in a bolder, more flavorful style than most, today’s Sauv Blanc is packed with fruit and balanced by subtle minerals and savory characteristics.
Ready to enjoy now, this wine actually has the sort of structure to give it additional aging potential. Enjoy now, but be sure to lay a few bottles down for the next two to three years. It should progress beautifully.
Pair this bright, food-friendly wine with stuffed grilled pepper, a darker grilled fish, scampini, ahi or swordfish.
Very highly recommended for any white wine fan.
Tasting Profile
Skinny legs start slow and then run swiftly down the glass. The wine is crystalline and clear with light golden hues. A fine sliver of faint chartreuse shows at the edges of the wine.
Big and fragrant with cantaloupe rind, mountain forest, high-desert pine, pineapple, gooseberry, grapefruit blossom, subtle kiwi and river rock minerality.
At the front of the palate, viscous and full. Then, a zesty acidity hits at the rear palate giving a slight zing. Flavors of pink grapefruit, melon rind, gooseberry and kiwi take the lead. As the wine warms, flavors of cantaloupe and lemongrass emerge.
Ultra-long, very clean and weighty packed with persistent fruit that lingers across the entire palate.
What the Winery Says
The 2011 Hartwell Estate Sauvignon Blanc showcases classic varietal aromas of cantaloupe, eucalyptus, kiwi and lemongrass. On the palate, complex flavors of pink grapefruit, Galia melon, and wet stone join the aromatic components, finishing with a sweet and refreshing acidity. This Sauvignon Blanc can be enjoyed upon release, while time in the bottle will enhance its delicious mineral characteristics.
Appellation
Carneros, Napa
Alcohol
14.1%
About the Winery
Bob Hartwell’s passion for wine stems from his decades as an avid collector. Bob, a fourth generation Californian, has over thirty years of success in the aerospace and plumbing industries. As a successful manufacturer of quality products, Bob has never been a stranger to striving for quality over quantity at any cost. He has always known that the best quality materials result in the best quality products.
Bob’s obsession with producing the best didn’t stop at the manufacturing plant. Bob knew that fulfilling the dream of owning his own vineyard meant finding the best place to grow the best Cabernet Sauvignon. With the help of a respected wine consultant, he found the property he had been searching for. The unplanted hillside in the Stag’s Leap District, now Hartwell Estate, was the birthplace of his dream.
Dick Grace shared his Bouche Clone from Grace Family Vineyards, and collaborated with Bob on Hartwell’s very first production. In 1990 after 22 months in new French oak barrels, the wine, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, was released with explosive success. This established the tradition of quality and style that continues to distinguish Hartwell wines.
In addition to making great wine, Blanca and Bob Hartwell are dedicated to the tradition of charitable giving. Their ongoing philanthropic efforts are instrumental to organizations that improve the lives of children.
