Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesOne of the greatest examples of this variety in every vintage seems to be the Georgia cuvee from Lail. The 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Georgia is 100% Sauvignon from the Totem Estate Vineyard in Yountville, and it was fermented and aged 21 months in 70% new oak. As most great wines do, it’s absorbed every trace of new wood and offers a beautiful perfume of lemon curd, white flowers, minty herbs, chalky minerality and hints of toasted brioche. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s concentrated, has flawless balance, and a great finish. Give it a year or two and enjoy over the following decade. Best After 2022
This is a wonderful Georgia with a dense and very creamy texture, showing sliced apples, pears and cream. Peach and citrus, too. Full and lively, yet always present on the palate. Phenolic tension, too. Reserved at the end. From three acres. One for the cellar. Drink or hold.
The 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Georgia is racy and seductive right out of the glass. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint and a hint of tropical fruit lend richness and oiliness to this beautifully layered, inviting Sauvignon Blanc. The Georgia emerges from a tiny vineyard in the center of Yountville. Best after 2021.
Robin Daniel Lail’s heritage began in 1879 with the founding of Inglenook Vineyards by her great -granduncle, the iconic Captain Gustave Niebaum. By the early 1890s, this brilliant man’s obsession for achieving the pinnacle of excellence earned Inglenook wines the status of being considered by many as the finest produced in the country.
The determination to achieve excellence was carried forward through the decades following Niebaum’s death in 1908, with a crescendo in the thirty years following the repeal of Prohibition under the meticulous, passionate stewardship of John Daniel, Jr., Robin’s father. The collection of Cabernets coming from his years of ownership is still celebrated today as some of the finest red wines on earth.
Although Inglenook was sold in 1964, the passion for winemaking did not fade. Robin inherited her father’s respect for tradition. After working as the personal assistant to her mentor, Robert Mondavi, for five years, she left in 1982 to co-found Dominus Estate with Christian Moueix. The following year she co-founded Merryvale Vineyards with Bill Harlan, serving as president for a decade, before finally launching on her eponymous venture, Lail Vineyards, with her two daughters in 1995. Today her family honors his legacy with their relentless pursuit to produce wines second to none.
One of Napa Valley's most historic sub-appellations, Yountville spreads through some of the valley's ideal cooler sites and enjoys success with a handful of different and significant grape varieties.
Syrah competes strongly with Cabernet Sauvignon here for optimal vineyard real estate followed by Pinot noir, Pinot blanc and Sauvignon blanc.
This sub-AVA of Napa Valley is rich in the history that makes Napa Valley what it is today, and not just for red wines. Moët & Chandon entered the California winemaking business via Yountville in 1973 with the establishment Domaine Chandon. Their goal has always been to produce top quality méthode champenoise sparkling wines.
Christian Moueix, originally responsible for managing Chateau Petrus and La Fleur-Petrus in Pomerol, arrived in Yountville in the early 1980s. He formed a partnership with Rohin Lail and Marcia Smith, inheritors of Napanook vineyard from their father John Daniel of Inglenook in Rutherford. In 1995 Moueix became sole owner of Napanook and chose the name Dominus, which today produces some of Napa’s highest scoring, age-worthy Bordeaux Blends.
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.