Snowden
Sauvignon Blanc Sunninghill – 2023
Region: CALIFORNIA - NAPA VALLEY
Snowden
Since 1955, the Snowdens have farmed their vineyard high above the Napa Valley. In addition to the stunning views of St. Helena, Rutherford and the San Francisco Bay, the estate offers four separate sites producing remarkably complex and individualistic wines. Winemaking duties are in the capable hands of Diana Snowden Seysses. The winery produces Bordeaux blends from their estate vineyards and a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc from a small parcel they call the Lost Vineyard.
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
Single acre of “free-thinking and exuberant” Sauvignon Blanc in middle of the estate’s Eastern-most Lost Orchard vineyard, in the Vaca Mountains of Napa Valley.
- Vineyard on bluff bordering Lake Hennessey
- Altitude: 850 feet
- Vines Planted: 2000
- Soil: Rhyolite (volcanic sands)
- Clone 1 on alternating rows of 101-14 and 1616C rootstock
Harvest Notes
- 2023 growing season the “utter antithesis” of the 2o22 vintage: leisurely ripening and flavor development (no heat spikes)
- Latest pick date, September 8, 2023, for this block in a decade
- Hand harvested
- Whole cluster pressed
- Fermented in barrel using only native yeasts
- Aged on lees 7 months in neutral oak and stainless steel barrels
- Bottled April 29, 2024
Winemaker's Notes
The 2023 Sauvignon blanc is gorgeous: it has a beautiful bouquet of orange blossoms and shortbread. The body is silky and full with bouncy flavors of citrus rind and lemon drops. This is an outstanding vintage for this little jewel of a vineyard!
Wine Summary
100% Sauvignon Blanc; alcohol: 12.5%; 1 acre block in Lost Orchard vineyard at 850 feet; grown on rhyolite soils (volcanic sands); hand harvested September 1, 2023, whole cluster pressed; fermented with only wild native yeasts in neutral oak barrels; no malolactic fermentation; aged on lees in neutral oak and stainless steel barrels, bottled April 29, 2024 under Saranex-lined screwcaps.
Technical Information
- 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Alcohol: 12.5%
Reviews
91 Points
The nose is fresh, with aromas of white peaches, Meyer lemons and cut grass. The palate is light- to medium-bodied with focused acidity, giving notes of grapefruit, green papayas and river stones. Vibrant and minerally. Drink or hold.
jamessuckling.com, November, 2024
92 Points
I am so accustomed to wineries in California who still deign to produce sauvignon blanc to try and harvest the wine late to bake out the varietal character from the wine, as the conventional wisdom seems to be that people will not buy “grassy” examples, despite this being the signature aromatic profile of all the great wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé that are made from this variety! The 2023 from Snowden Vineyards is reassuringly low octane and classic in profile, coming in at 12.5 percent octane and having been fermented with native yeasts and aged in older oak casks. The wine’s bouquet offers up a superb bouquet of lemon, gooseberry, green apple, white flowers, volcanic soils and a whisper of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, elegant and complex, with a fine core, lovely mineral drive and grip, zesty acids and a long, beautifully balanced and classy finish. Fine, fine juice. 2025 – 2035
View From The Cellar, May, 2025
General Info
| Country | USA |
| Region | Napa Valley |
| Appellation(s) | Napa Valley |
| Proprietors | Scott and Joann Snowden and Randy and Janet Snowden, managing directors of Snowden Vineyards |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Winemaker | Diana Snowden-Seysses |
| Annual Production | 2,900 9L cases |
| Farming (Sustainable, organic, biodynamic) | Sustainable (including no chemical herbicides used in vineyards) |