Hess Shirtail Ranches Sauvignon Blanc 2022

I was recently given a bottle of the Hess ‘Shirtail Ranches’ Sauvignon Blanc to taste. While I really enjoyed it (which I rarely do for domestic SB), I was slightly confused because I thought the SB came with a blue label and was called ‘Hess Select.’ That’s when I was told I could have this bottle especially for restaurants.

Of course at the moment, two of my five ‘by-the-glass’ white wines are Sauvignon Blanc, so I don’t have an immediate need for this wine. BUT, since I get a special restaurant price and I do have a restaurant, I can sneak out a little something special to the Nicholas Wines faithful.

The 2022 Hess Shirtail Ranches Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and clean, a vibrant SB that was fermented in 100% stainless steel to preserve its freshness and super-inviting aromatics. It combines fruit from a few of the best counties in California for growing Sauvignon Blanc.

Utilizing fruit from the coastal Mendocino site with blocks more inland combines both grass and tropical notes, with ripe fruit but also a little salinity and more natural acidity. It’s a yin/yang combination that really meshes well.