The 2010 Sauvignon Blanc contains 50% of the Musqué clone of Sauvignon Blanc from Grandma’s Block. This clone is believed to be a hybrid of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat. Many think that the vineyards of the famous Sauternes region are planted to this particular clone. The 100% stainless steel fermentation and absence of malolactic fermentation, allow the wine to retain the pure fruit quality it gets from hand harvesting and whole cluster pressing.

Indicative of the cooler than average summer, the 2010 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc is vibrant and racy. White grapefruit and hints of fresh cut hay jump out of the glass. The front palette is a complex blend of stone fruits and minerals. The higher viscosity of the Musqué clone is evident in the rich mouth feel. This wine finishes clean and bright with perfectly balanced acidity. Enjoy this wine with light appetizers, salads, seafood dishes or on its own on a warm summer evening. Around the winery, we lovingly refer to our Sauvignon Blanc as our “porch” wine.

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Our 2010 was made in the same “Burgundian” style as the past vintages. The wine is 100% barrel fermented but in only a small percentage of new oak. The result is the best of both worlds; the beautiful fruit of California Chardonnay minus the oak, with the elegance and complexity of its Burgundian ancestor.

With a relatively cool growing season and warmer weather just prior to harvest, the fruit has a riper character with the preserved acidity you would expect from a cooler year. Harvested at 24.3° brix, the nose if full of crisp apple and pear fruit and accented perfectly by hints of oak and floral nuances. Tangy citrus flavors tease your front palate then morph into rounder melon fruit in the mid palate. The gravely soils and lack of water retention of the vineyard also shine through in the mid palate with complex flavors of mineral that are accented by the richness of the barrel fermentation. The finish is everything you would expect from a great Chardonnay; full and round but clinging to acidity to retain the balance.

This wine will continue to drink beautifully over the next three to five years. Enjoy it with fish, poultry, white sauces and anything else that strikes your fancy.

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If 2008 was the vintage to forget, than 2009 is the vintage to remember. We were extremely fortunate to have harvested all of our fruit before the rains in October. The growing conditions prior to that point could not have been more perfect. Heading into thethird year of drought, we knew the crop was going to be light. The low bunch count and relatively small berry formation combined with the long moderate summer led to uniformly ripening fruit with amazing structure and complexity.

The nose is full of dark fruits and a complex array of brooding flavors. Aromas of blackberry, minerals, cracked pepper, blueberry pie, and sweet oak mingle harmoniously. The front palate is full of ripe and juicy tannins. This Zinfandel has plenty of structure for those of you who would like to lay it down. However, the tannins are broad shouldered without sharp edges for those who want to drink it now. The finish persists long after the last sip is gone; a combination of the structure and balanced acidity that have become a Mauritson hallmark. Please enjoy the 2009 Dry Creek Zinfandel over the next 6-8 years.

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The 2008 vintage was more reminiscent of a traditional European harvest than it was California. It was a relatively cool growing season with the exception of a couple of heat spikes towards the end of the harvest. The crop was average in size which, coupled with the cool weather, gave us great hang time. The fruit ripened between the middle of March and late October with the Merlot being picked first and our Alexander Valley Cabernet coming in last. The resulting wines have bright fruit, round tannins and balanced acidity.

The 2008 Mauritson Sonoma County Cabernet is dense and expressive in the nose. Dark fruit is complemented by aromas of tobacco, cassis, vanilla and hints of mineral. The complex aromatics stem from the amazing diversity of the four Bordeaux varietals used in the blend. On the front palate, the wine is both juicy and serious with the lush fruit giving way to tobacco and sweet oak. With more Merlot than previous vintages, the wine has round tannins with soft edges. There is nothing astringent or overpowering about the wine, yet the delicacy and complexity can not fully be appreciated until after the last sip is gone. The cooler vintage yielded wines with balanced acidity making the wines very food friendly and cellarable for the next 5-7 years.

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