Merry Edwards and the legacy of excellent Sonoma Pinot

My love for Sonoma and wine goes back 17 years now, which isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things. But as a Jersey Shore kid who moved all around the East Coast and Europe for many years in my early life, Sonoma was the first place I visited on the West Coast. And it blew my mind. The coast drew me in (and terrified me) as I surfed its cold, big, sharky waters, and the trails and forests were like none I had ever explored.

I was impressed with a lot of the wines I first tasted, but as I studied wine and got deeper into things, I was enthralled by the wines from Merry Edwards. There were plenty of other more cult-y wines at this time that a Cali Pinot nerd could go chasing. And I did – and enjoyed many of those rabbit holes. But, there are no other Sonoma Pinots I enjoy returning to more than Merry Edwards.

And Merry is a legend in the cannon of California winemaking, a person whose work and achievements would be almost insulting to try and summarize here. (Real know real.) What I think has been most impressive about this winery in the last decade, is how seamlessly they have transitioned and handled change, all while making wines of absurd consistency.

Merry worked closely with winemaker Heidi Von Der Mehden for years before handing over the winemaking role upon her retirement in 2020. Since then, Heidi and the team have been keeping so true to the winery’s style, aesthetic, and appeal, while embracing change and new opportunities. There is no stumbling, no awkwardness, no record among the vast catalog that fans dismiss. This winery just keeps on excelling.

The proof is in the glass with Merry Edwards’ 2021 vintage. Wow. Super fresh, deep but this airy vibe, refined tannins in the red but the depth and concentration will really keep things improving in the cellar for at least five to six years. That said, they all seem open for business, and I certainly think it would be a stellar idea to open one of these Pinots on a cooler Autumn night with some slow-cooked food and good company.

Over the years, I’ve visited three or four times now. And I’d go back a fifth, and sixth, etc. The tasting room and grounds are beautiful, the staff welcoming and so courteous, and the wines always sing.

Here’s a summary on my take of the new 2021 releases. It really is a vintage to seek out and enjoy in the years to come. These wines were received as samples. The Sauvignon Blanc was tasted sighted, while the Pinots were tasted single-blind.

2021 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $45
Light yellow color. The nose has a gorgeous mix of limes, apricot, pineapple, with a host of breezy, floral goodness – basil, honeycomb, mint sea breeze, dandelions, chalk dust, all sorts of nuances to coax out. The palate has such raciness and verve, balanced wonderfully with creamy richness, that classic signature textural depth and lip-smacking focus. Exotic, expressive fruit (kiwi, white peach, lemon, papaya, beautiful stuff) that goes on and on. There’s a bright salinity, lots of white and yellow flowers, notes of minerals and mountain stream, with hints of white pepper and basil. Another stellar vintage, this one will age for a very long time, or give it plenty of air and enjoy over a few days to let it express itself fully. Aged on the lees for four months in 18% new French oak. (94 points)

2021 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $60
Deep raspberry color. Beautiful nose of black cherries, deep plums, and raspberry jam – the fruit backed up with savory, floral, inviting tones: violets, warm clay, red pepper flakes, rose petals, rhubarb, with light roast coffee. The palate has lively acidity, refined tannins, nicely structured and textured, with juicy black cherries, tangy red plum fruit, and your favorite cranberry relish/jam. The fruit is laced with dried rose petals, herbal tea, black pepper, with some sun-roasted herbs and clay elements. Pure, vibrant, mineral-tinged red fruits on the finish. Great intro to their style and an exceptional wine in its own right. Aged nine months in 47% new French oak. (93 points)

2021 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Olivet Lane Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $75
Vibrant ruby color. A ripe and lush nose of crushed black cherries, the freshest raspberries, raspberry jam, and as delicious as the fruit is, it blends so well with the non-fruit nuances: deep earth, sage, tobacco, roasted chestnut, cola, yet it maintains this airy feel. Full and suave on the palate, so juicy and fresh with gorgeous fruit (black cherries, deep strawberries, raspberries). Dusty tannins, deep texture, crisp acidity, with complexities of tobacco, green herbs, black tea, with minerals and stony earth. This is so pretty now but it’s almost a shame to enjoy because it will sing so wonderfully in five or six years. Aged nine months in 83% new French oak. (94 points)

2021 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Georganne - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $70
Pretty ruby color. The aromas have this complex tapestry with these darker cherries, saucy plums and deep earth, with airier elements of roses and violets, rhubarb, pomegranate tea, and all sorts of spices and nuances. The palate is deep with structured but round-edged tannins and fresh acidity. The fruit tends towards this mix of black cherries and spiced cranberry sauce, and the fruit is matched with lots of spices, dried flowers, gravelly-loamy soil, with cola and light roast coffee elements. So good – this one is an especially long-ager for this lineup. Aged 10 months in 51% new French oak. (94 points)

2021 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Coopersmith - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $70
Deep ruby color. The aromas pop with this rich cherry ganache, strawberry jam, watermelon, with a complex blend of rhubarb, mint, tobacco, dusty earth, and some spiced tea. On the palate, this shows bright acidity and a juicy texture with chewy tannins and a mouthwatering feel throughout. Tangy black cherries, plenty of raspberries and strawberries, cherry pie, deep but so fresh and tasted pure. This one has a really cool signature of tobacco, rose hips, white pepper, rhubarb, some roasted nuts, clay and rocky soil, with this mineral-laden finish. Another really solid ager but so expressive and clear in its youth. A gem. Aged 10 months in 50% new French oak. (95 points)

2021 MerryEdwards Pinot Noir Dach Vineyard USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
SRP: $75
Deep ruby color. So deep and juicy on the nose, a heavenly mix of black cherries, juicy strawberries, and saucy plums, topped with all sorts of non-fruit complexities: spiced tea, dried rose petals, rhubarb, warm clay, nuanced cola and sarsaparilla tones. The palate is pure, suave, and plush, with structured tannins balanced against boisterous acidity, with delicious, tangy, deep fruit (blueberries, black cherries, wild raspberries). I get a complex host of tobacco, black pepper, cola, root beer, and tones of earth, clay, and minerals. Gorgeous stuff that will age gracefully for a decade-plus. This vineyard is a welcome addition to the band’s lineup, and one to watch, especially if your palate tends toward that Anderson Valley goodness. Aged 10 months in 54% new French oak. (94 points)

California gems to welcome Autumn

Mid-September sunrise on the Potomac

I’m a big fan of the astronomical calendar for the seasons, and I love celebrating the Autumnal Equinox. So, at least in that sense, we’re still in Summer. It’s still been quite warm here in the Mid-Atlantic, and the hurricanes keep cranking, but the humidity is dropping and the cooler mornings are starting to arrive. I hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying September so far .

There’s plenty of delightful weather on the way, and I have some fresh, California wines that will keep things cool all Autumn long. Delicious Chardonnay abounds here, including one from one of my favorites (Smith-Madrone), a stunner from Three Sticks, and some relatively new-to-me wines (Ettore and Waypoint), and throw in a classic value from Ferrari-Carano.

But there are some awesome reds in here as well, from crisp a crisp and airy Waypoint Pinot, to another winner of a Zin from Frank Family. Lastly, I have the Lithology Cab from the Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate, which is a real treat if you’re looking to bury some shockingly-good Napa Cab in the cellar and enjoy the 2019 vintage. Check this one out.

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.

2022 Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Napa Valley
SRP: $22
Light yellow, slight green color. The aromas pop with gooseberry, lime, kiwi, green melon, along with wild mint, fresh oregano, sliced chives, and some floral perfume and honeysuckle. The palate is ripe and peachy and generous in texture, but shows racy acidity and a focused sense of clarity. White peach, limes, guava, the fruit is laced with cool tones of herbal tea, white pepper, celery seed, sliced green bell pepper. Those elements are nuanced and woven in really well with honey and minerals, lots of flowers. Summery for sure but year-round goodness in here. A steal and a complex value at the price point. (90 points)

2022 Conundrum Wines White Table Wine - USA, California
SRP: $16
Medium yellow color. Smells peach-keen with daisies, dandelion, hay, orange blossom (floral city!), along with notes of honey, circus peanuts, and some herbal hints. The palate has a rich and creamy texture but surprising acidity, with flavors of yellow plums, pineapple, lime zest, peach nectar, a tropical mélange of all sorts of goodness. White and yellow flowers mix with tones of chalk, celery seed, mint. Very pleasant with a tropical, breezy vibe that will keep summer going all fall. I’ve long been a fan of this perennially-changing, fun, ripe, experimental wine, and it’s nice to know this style is still going. Screaming value, crowd-pleasing, what’s not to love? Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Viognier. (89 points)

2021 Ferrari Carano Chardonnay - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

SRP: $25
Rich yellow color. Yummy aromas of yellow apples, juicy pineapple, some lemon curd, with nuances of buttered biscuits, honey, tropical blossoms, with some hay and almond skin. The palate sports a delightful creaminess and moderate acidity, with a fun feel and pleasant balance. Yellow apples, kiwi, and lemon curd fruit, a fresh and juicy appeal, with notes of almond, bruised apple, nougat, along with some salty, floral complexities. Classic stuff, crowd-pleasing for sure, but balanced and delicious. Aged in stainless steel and 30% French oak. (89 points)

2019 Ettore Winery Chardonnay Zero - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
SRP: $32
Rich yellow color. Intense aromatic display, with bruised apples, white peach, orange marmalade, and apricot, along with saline, hazelnut, and a waxy, spicy, almost Jura-esque vibe, and it smells awesome. Rich and waxy texture yet vibrant acidity keeps this alive and kicking, with flavors of apricots, lemon marmalade, dried pineapple, and orange peel. There’s a lot of cool nutty, deep, honeyed tones, but the wine stays so fresh and tingly, with complex floral, saline, chalk dust, and herbal vibes. Perhaps a bit on the adventurous side, but it pulls it off so well and is delicious as it is interesting. (92 points)

2019 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

SRP: $45
Rich yellow color. The lemon curd, orange peel, and yellow pear aromas are delightful, with notes of yellow and white flowers, inviting tones of biscuit dough, sea salt, crushed stones – love it. The palate is racy and spritely with a delightful texture and harmonious fruit (lemons, yellow pears, white peach). Nuances of white tea, honey, sea salt, slight nougat and graham cracker. Racy and precise, deep and age-worth, this has it all. Disclaimer, I’m a huge fan of this wine in general, but even if it was not my personal style, I don’t think you can argue that this is one helluva well-made Chardonnay. And the 2019 is singing, and will continue to do so in the cellar. Absurd value, easy buy. (95 points)

2021 Three Sticks Chardonnay One Sky - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
SRP: $70
Rich yellow color. The nose shows yellow pears, lemon curd, orange peel, along with a lot of yellow flowers, honey, chalk and limestone dust, along with nuances of almond, peanut skin, white tea, shaved ginger. The palate sports a bold texture with lip-smacking acidity, and flavors of yellow apples, lemon bars, along with crunchy green apples. The palate is gorgeous, with beautiful texture and focused acidity. The complexities are really impressive: smashed rocks, chalk dust, ocean spray, limestone, nuanced of saltine cracker and hay. The mouthfeel, flavors, balance, and finish are gnarly. A shockingly awesome Chardonnay that will age for a very long time. For the price? C’mon, this is nuts. (94 points)

2020 Waypoint Chardonnay Heintz Vineyard - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
SRP: $60
Juicy, deep yellow color. The aromas show a delightful mix of rich and vibrant, with lemon curd, orange peel, with white peach, almond biscuits, cinnamon crumb cake, flinty minerals, chalk dust, white flowers. The palate shows such creamy, lovely texture, balanced with pristine acidity and a clear mineral focus. Flavors of golden apples and lemon curd, mixed with all sorts of honey, graham cracker, almonds, hay. There’s also a lot of sea salt, crushed stones, minerals, all sorts of good stuff packed in here. The nuance and lip-smacking vibrancy of this wine, and the balance with the richness, really fires. Aged 18 months in 43% new French oak. (94 points)

2021 Waypoint Pinot Noir Terra de Promissio Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

SRP: $60
Vibrant ruby color. So fresh and lively, with fresh raspberries, strawberries, sliced rhubarb, with notes of white pepper, clay, creosote, mint, dried rose petals, very cool! The palate is crisp and airy with a fresh appeal and nervy aesthetic despite the fine-grained tannins and solid structure. The juiciest and tangiest strawberries, red currants, and cranberry relish, mix so well with tones of oregano, mint, dried rose petals, all sorts of savory spices and nuances. Despite the depth, age-worthiness, and complexity, it maintains a cool, airy, vibrant appeal. Beautiful Sonoma Pinot. (94 points)

2021 Frank Family Vineyards Zinfandel - USA, California, Napa Valley
SRP: $45
Rich purple color. Roasted figs, blackberry jam, tangy blueberries, with notes of smoky earth, sage, incense sticks, charcoal, anise – a lot of cool things. The palate sports exceptional balance with suave tannins, a rich feel, but a bright acidity. The fruit is tangy and deep, like farm fresh blueberry and blackberry jam, with crunchy currants, and that is woven together with threads of violet petals, black pepper, oregano, all sorts of earthy, stony, and mineral vibes. This is a perennially excellent Zinfandel, but this vintage in particular has such vibrancy and staying power. Bring on cooler nights and this wine. (93 points)

2019 Lithology Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley

SRP: $150
Such a deep but inviting purple color. The nose shows a dark core of black currant, blackberry, fig paste, and these classic Napa Cab nuances you love to sniff: dusty earth, pencil shavings, tobacco, some eucalyptus and violet tones. On the palate, you really start to grasp the depth and intricacy of this wine, with grippy but refined tannins and fresh acidity, setting an open stage for the tangy black currant and dark plum fruit. The non-fruit nuances show so much, with graphite, charcoal, and minerals on one hand, and coffee grounds, dark chocolate, sweet pipe tobacco, and clove on the other. The concentration and depth are a delight. Yes, it is very enjoyable to sip this wine this young, but this should be buried for five to ten at least. I love the 2019 vintage, and this expression is exquisite. Cab with Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, aged 22 months in French oak. (95 points)

Lobo Wines makes some howling good reds

There are a lot of California producers out there, and things can be daunting if you want to find high-quality wineries in which to invest your time and money.

I’ve been pleased over the past three or four years to have learned more about Lobo Wines from Napa, and I think they’re certainly a producer with checking out. In the glass these wines were always striking, certainly in the aromatics department, but also with a real sense of depth and age-worthiness on the palate. Packed with verve, nuance, and they are like new riffs on classic bass line sort of wines. And the consistency is so evident. The labels and brand aesthetic (let’s face it – that really matters) – I find excellent and attractive.

Once I established that the wines were of serious intrigue, there’s a cool story behind it as well. The winery is the project of Randy and Krys Wulff. Randy, who grew up together in the Central Valley. More than 20 years ago, they moved to Napa and planted some Oak Knoll Chardonnay to get things started. Today, Lobo produces wine from Oak Knoll and their Atlas Peak estate (Villa Lobo), and they make Chard, Pinot, Syrah, Merlot, and some Cabs.

In wondering how these reds show so much finesse, it makes a lot of sense when you look at the winemaker’s resume. The Chardonnay is produced by Randy Lewis and Victoria Coleman makes the reds. She has worked at Stag’s Leap and even interned Mouton-Rothschild, and has made Lobo wines for 16 years. She was also the first black woman to graduate from the UC Davis viticulture and enology program.

I’ve enjoyed these red wines a few times over the year, and the consistency of high quality is an obvious trend. They clearly have some great fruit to work with in Oak Knoll and Atlas Peak, and they offer a way to explore the different Napa subregions within the context of the same artist.

They have a nice range of wines, and I was happy to taste through two of their 2020 offerings, an Atlas Peak Cabernet and an Oak Knoll Syrah-Cabernet blend.

The wines are available on Lobo Wine’s site. And they're open for scheduled visits and tastings. Take a look at a virtual tour of their cave (it looks great!) and worth a visit the next time I'm in Napa.

These were received as samples and tasted sighted.

2020 Lobo Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Wulff Vineyards - USA, California, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak
SRP: $105
Deep purple color. The nose exudes this mix of tangy, roasted fig paste, with black currants, laced with smoky earth, roasted red pepper, spicy tobacco, sage, mint. It’s deep and dark but expressive and herbal.  The palate sports vibrant acidity that gives this Cab a refreshing appeal, but the tannins provide this grippy structure, with a host of dark plum, red and black currants, black cherry jam. Lovely balance, and the nuances abound: stony, mineral vibes, savory and peppery spice, gravelly-loam, with some nuances of cedar, graphite, and dark chocolate shavings. This needs air and time to come into its own, but a beautiful and complex Cab. (94 points)

2020 Lobo Wines Howl Wulff Vineyards - USA, California, Napa Valley
SRP: $70
Saucy purple color. A tangy, dark blend of black currants, black cherries, wild blueberries, with a saucy blend of anise, beef jerky, black pepper, violets, clove, some barbecue sauce and dark chocolate – just a delight to sniff and worthy of a good decant to get it going. Bright acidity frames the wine well, and the tannins have nice grip with a pleasantly chewy feel. Black cherries, blueberries, black currant jam, delightful fruit, and it rounds out with complex elements of anise, cocoa, black pepper, sauteed mushrooms, black tea. There’s a ton going on here in the non-fruit complexities. Ripe and juicy but structured for the cellar, too. A rocking blend of Syrah with 29% Cabernet Sauvignon. (93 points)

Black bears of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

I’ve had a lot of interactions with black bears in my 39 years. And I consider myself lucky to have so many experiences, as black bears have been one of my favorite animals since I was a little kid.

My grandmother gave me a stuffed black bear when I was born, realistically shaped, and it has been the only toy from my childhood that has stayed with me over all the years and moves. But I did not grow up infantilizing or idolizing these animals. I grew up with a deep respect and awe for them.

In the summers, my parents would take me and my siblings backpacking and camping deep in the Adirondack wilderness for a week at a time. Some of my first memories are of watching black bears forage beside mountain lakes, pop their heads out from further up the trail. And there’s the time a massive male climbed a tree and spent an hour clawing at the rope we had used to tie all our food between two large trees. Its persistence paid off, as the bag eventually fell, and our backpack stashed with a week’s worth of food was consumed entirely.

But I’ve had many other interactions with a sow and cubs, or black bears just minding their own business in the mountains of Maine, on morning hikes in the Shenandoah mountains, in the buggy forests of north Florida. I’m a huge fan of these animals, and of fostering positive interactions and respect for them.

So, I was beyond excited to visit one of my bucket list wildlife refuges – Alligator River. This National Wildlife Refuge rests in the pocosin marsh of eastern North Carolina. A quick drive from the Outer Banks, it is home to the last remaining population of red wolves – a canid native to the Southeastern U.S. And it is also home to the largest concentration of coastal black bears in the Eastern U.S.

In August, I spent three mornings from pre-dawn to about 8 a.m. (when the heat became too much for me) searching for bears. I had 17 encounters in three mornings with at least 10 different individual black bears. Some were fleeting, a large boar crossing the path, or cooling off in the marsh waters. I saw a few cubs sprinting in or out of the tall grass. A few sniffed me out and moseyed on into the dense, thick pocosin woods. It becomes impossible to see into the thicket more than ten feet. And then there were a few bears who knew I was there, and did not care, and just went about their daily business.

These pictures are of those bears, two young boars. Ethics in wildlife photography is of the utmost importance to me, and I have never photographed bears before. So, I felt it very important to focus on the ethics of this particular place, and these particular animals. I would not attempt any pictures of animals unless the fell into the category of going about their business without concern for me. I also kept a safe and ethical distance, and was using 540-800mm equivalent, so I was always a safe and respectful distance.

I felt grateful these bears allowed me to spend time with them (20 and 30 minutes respectively). And while the intense heat and humidity made photography and just being out there difficult, it gave me a renewed sense of respect for black bears, and how enduring, smart, and resourceful they are.

I look forward to continuing to see black bears thrive across the U.S., as they’ve always been my rare but welcomed neighbors.

My favorite shot of a scarred-up, tick-bitten, relaxed male

A big picture view of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

With so many winegrowing countries and regions, it can be tempting to place one type of wine from one region into a box. It makes our mental classification system easier (Willamette Chardonnay goes in this box, Seneca Lake Riesling in this box), but this can also limit our full appreciation of a place’s diversity.

I’m guilty of this overly broad classification with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. One of the first types of wine I really experienced many years ago, I thought I had them pretty quickly figured out. Zippy, crunchy whites with bell and jalapeno peppers. Done.

There’s clearly a whole lot more going on here. Today, the large production, inexpensive, and less inspiring Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs of 20 years ago may still be around, but there are a whole lot more options lately that tell a much more complex story.

If you’d like to dig deeper into this heralded region, there’s now a great tool at your fingertips. Appellation Marlborough Wine has created a Wine Map of Marlborough, an interactive map designed to showcase the diversity and stylistic nuances of Marlborough. Fifty years after the first commercial vines were planted here, it really is amazing to think of how much Marlborough Sauv Blanc has impacted the global wine world. And there’s still a lot to learn.

A team of five AMW members worked for two years robustly debating the hierarchy of the subregions of Marlborough, and enlisted the help of a local cartographer and designer for the final product. It divides the larger area into three regions: Wairau, Awatere & Blind River, and the Southern Coast. (Wairau itself is then split into four smaller sectors, and even further into almost like a village classification system. And I think this is a great route to take.) Check it out!

And, like reading or learning about any wine region in detail, it’s best to have some wines to taste through, to help drive things home. In addition to the map and resources, I recently received some Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs that offer a good snapshot of some of what’s out there.

These wines were received as samples and tasted single blind.

2022 Mud House Wines Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
SRP: $14
Pale lemon color. A spritely, tropical burst of lemons, limes, and guava, with honeysuckle, floral perfume, some fresh mint, and a pleasant tone of sliced bell pepper. The palate is brisk, clear, and zesty with yellow apples, kiwi, bruised white peach. Pleasant notes of sea salt, flinty minerals, and nuances of celery seed, white pepper, and basil. Super fun, crisp, crowd-pleasing wine for warm days and salads. (87 points)

2022 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
SRP: $12
Light yellow color. The nose really pops with gooseberry, ruby red grapefruit, orange peels, along with a generous but nuanced mix of honeysuckle, white pepper, sliced jalapeno, and breezy, floral meadow. Pleasant creaminess but brisk acidity makes for a balanced and lively wine, with flavors of kiwi, ruby red grapefruit, white peach, guava. Nuanced notes of sliced cucumber, jalapeno, with basil and white pepper. Fun, vibrant, balanced, refreshing. (88 points)

2020 Astrolabe Wines Sauvignon Blanc Taihoa - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough

SRP: $40

Medium yellow color. Spritely and inviting on the nose with crunchy green apples, limes, ruby red grapefruit, along with lovely tones of honeysuckle, mint, wild leeks, white pepper. Crunchy and zesty with a focused appeal but a generous mouthfeel and creamy texture. The ruby red grapefruit, lime, and white peach fruit is mixed with complexities of wild green herbs, orange blossom, minerals, ocean spray. A really clear and focused Sauv Blanc but some honeyed depth, with a lot of nuance and complexities to parse through. (92 points)

2022 Auntsfield Sauvignon Blanc Single Vineyard - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
SRP: $25
Pale lemon color. A bright and flashy display on the nose, with daisies and lilies, chalk dust, oyster shell, over tangy limes, kiwi, with a note of fresh cucumber. The palate sports a juicy and tangy mix of limes, papaya, and gooseberry, and the fruit blends together nicely with nuances of honey, white pepper, green apple peel. There are these flinty, salty, mineral, and basil tones that linger onto the finish. Has a precise but rounded feel, and complexity and balance worth seeking out. (91 points)

2022 Rapaura Springs Sauvignon Blanc Rohe - Dillons Point - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
SRP: $25
Light lemon color. The nose shows vibrant and oceanic goodness, with green apples, cantaloupe and honeydew melons, with a delightful mix of ramp leaves, dandelion, nettle, with crushed seashells and chalk dust. The palate has a precise, racy, complex feel with crunchy limes and green apples, watermelon rind and honeydew. It also has this nice creamy depth and texture, all sorts of floral and herbal complexity that is a lot of fun to dig into. The level of mineral, seashells, and mountain stream clarity in this wine is delightful. (92 points)