DRAGONETTE 11 SB GRASSINI
The boys at Dragonette bonded over a love of Didier Dagueneau’s famous Sauvignons and spent years comparing and contrasting the nuances found in white Bordeaux, Pouilly Fumé and even the great sweet wines of Sauternes. They knew that Santa Barbara County was promising for Sauvignon Blanc, but how far could they take it if they pushed the envelope? With the help of ripe grapes from the Grasinni Vineyard in eastern Santa Ynez Valley, they have gone so far as to show some of the “old guard” a thing or two. Winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gillis fermented the Sauvignon Blanc in a mix of tank and barrel and bottled the resulting wine without filtration. This extremely limited, 125-case bottling displays fruit aromas of honeydew, green apple, yellow watermelon, fresh coconut and white flowers. As the wine opens it further displays fig, white peach, mint and a resinous note of basil. Zippy and round at the same time, this is not your typical Sauv Blanc… it’s better!
