2009 First Label Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage
2009 was a challenging season for the North Fork but it has already established itself as a great white wine vintage. The growing season was marked by cooler temperatures and numerous storm systems that resulted in a slow growing period. All sections of the vineyard were thinned to 2 tons per acre to accelerate ripening and expose more fruit to the sun. The fall was sunny and warm which allowed our fruit to get fully ripe. We had to wait a long time for this to happen and harvested most varieties later than we ever have. The result of our efforts is a vintage that produced some exceptional white wines with great acidity and elegant aromas.
Tasting Notes
Our First Label Sauvignon Blanc is one of 2 separate vineyard-designated Sauvignon Blancs that showcase the distinct differences in the terroir of our vineyard. It’s made from hand-harvested grapes grown on our original, 3-acre founding vineyard block planted in 1998. Gravelly sandy loam soil predominates on this gently sloping, south-facing rise. The grapes are hand-sorted, gently pressed in a wooden basket press and kept entirely in stainless steel to retain the intense aromatics of the fresh fruit and the unique essence of our terroir. Elegant and delicious, this wine offers thirst-quenching flavors of grapefruit, passion fruit and herbs along with a unique saline minerality. A perfect compliment to seafood, poultry, fresh cheeses, and vegetarian cuisine.