Aquilini Sauvignon Blanc 2019
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Wonderfully clean and focused aromas open with stone fruits, citrus and tropical notes interlaced with Meyer lemon. Energetic acidity frames the core of this wine while building texture on the palate, deftly balanced by just a nuance of oak. The finish is clean and lingering with minerality throughout.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Beginning slightly hot on the nose, the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Red Mountain offers citrus aromas of Meyer lemon, ruby red grapefruit, dusty citrus blossoms and waxy yellow flowers. Full-bodied, the palate shows a soft phenolic edge with crisp acidity, then subtle tones of baked earth and toasted oak spices appear across the mid-palate with texture and layers. The finish is slightly hot, showing the 14.66% alcohol, and it lingers with the flavor of dusty grapefruit blossoms and lemon curd.
Rating: 91+ -
Wine Enthusiast
The aromas are light, with notes of herb, citrus and whiffs of tropical fruit. Full-bodied guava, kiwi and pineapple flavors lead to a warm finish.
Other Vintages
2020-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
Aquilini wines are the embodiment of passion, family, and the extraordinary potential of Red Mountain, Washington. This unique region shaped by glacial history and Mother Nature's guiding hand, offers profound potential for grape growing. Aquilini wines are the result of the rare confluence of these environmental effects, combined with the old-world craft and heartfelt passion that goes into the art of winemaking.
Driven by their passion for producing exceptional wines that showcase the unique Red Mountain Terroir, the wines are nurtured by the dedication and hard work of the family, who pour their heart and soul into every bottle. The result is a collection of wines that are truly extraordinary and reflect the unique terroir of this special region.
Aquilini wines offer a truly unique experience for wine enthusiasts. You are invited to taste the difference for yourself and discover the magic that goes into every bottle of their exceptional wines.
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.
A coveted source of top quality red grapes among premier Washington producers, the Red Mountain AVA is actually the smallest appellation in the state. As its name might suggest, it is actually neither a mountain nor is it composed of red earth. Instead the appellation is an anticline of the Yakima fold belt, a series of geologic folds that define a number of viticultural regions in the surrounding area. It is on the eastern edge of Yakima Valley with slopes facing southwest towards the Yakima River, ideal for the ripening of grapes. The area’s springtime proliferation of cheatgrass, which has a reddish color, actually gives the area the name, "Red" Mountain.
Red Mountain produces some of the most mineral-driven, tannic and age-worthy red wines of Washington and there are a few reasons for this. It is just about the hottest appellation with normal growing season temperatures commonly reaching above 90F. The soil is particularly poor in nutrients and has a high pH, which results in significantly smaller berry sizes compared to varietal norms. The low juice to skin ratio in smaller berries combined with the strong, dry summer winds, leads to higher tannin levels in Red Mountain grapes.
The most common red grape varieties here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, among others. Limited white varieties are grown, namely Sauvignon blanc.
The reds of the area tend to express dark black and blue fruit, deep concentration, complex textures, high levels of tannins and as previously noted, have good aging capabilities.