AXR Sauvignon Blanc 2023
-
James
Suckling -
Wilfred
Wong -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Bright pale yellow gold with a bright shiny diamond. Explosion of crushed rocks, lemon drop, tangerine, melon, peach and honeydew. Fresh but round entrance evolving on a crisp mid-palate with touches of grapefruit and passion fruit, lingering on a mineral finish.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Reduced aromas of lemon confit, grapefruit curd, apple blossoms and jalapenos. The palate is vibrant, with underlying power carried by a generous mouthfeel and bright acidity. Well balanced and fresh.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2023 AXR Sauvignon Blanc is active and delicious. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows aromas and flavors of Meyer lemons, sandalwood, and oaky notes. Try it with pan-fried Petrale. (Tasted: June 12, 2024, San Francisco, CA)
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Winemaker Jean Hoefliger threw a few tricks at AXR's 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, including 65% barrel fermentation, 14 hours of skin contact for 30% of the blend and a couple of different yeasts meant to accentuate different characters. The result is reasonably complex, offering up hints of green onion, lime and boxwood alongside fig and melon on the nose. In the mouth, it's medium-bodied, plump and appealing, turning zesty and refreshing on the finish.
Other Vintages
2022-
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck
-
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck
-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
The history of the AXR estate is compounded in layers; rooted in historic tales of fierce Native American hunting grounds, wild west pioneers and the first woman vintner of California in 1886. It has changed hands over the course of 134 years to become a brewery, restaurant, inn, winery and saloon. Tales of love, lust, heartbreak, murders and great fortune create an imaginative backdrop to the present-day vision of AXR. Named after the AxR rootstalk (Aramond x Rupestris) that was so prominent in building the modern California wine industry, AXR Winery pays homage to the so-called "roots" of the industry. By utilizing modern and innovative techniques in the cellar, AXR extract the uniqueness of Napa Valley’s soils into wines enjoyable now, or many years from now. They start with hand-picked grapes, naturally fermented in small handcrafted lots, add in the expertise and palette of renowned consulting winemaker Jean Hoefliger, and you have a recipe for stunning wines that promote even better conversations, more laughs, and an invitation for others to join the group!
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.