Lail Vineyards Georgia 2013

Description

  eRobertParker.com #221 Oct 2015 Robert M. Parker, Jr. RATED 94 Drink: 2015 – 2030 The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc Georgia, 100% from the Totem Vineyard in Yountville (note the change from the Gamble Vineyard), is also 100% Sauvignon Blanc, but treated identical to the older vintages, being fermented in 100% French oak, where it was aged an additional 18 months prior to bottling. The wine shows notes of caramelized citrus, a touch of orange rind and marmalade, with medium to full body, beautiful acidity, striking concentration and a long, long finish. With a viticultural legacy dating back to the late 1800s and proprietress Robin Daniel Lail?s great grand-uncle Gustave Niebaum, the founder of Inglenook Vineyards, there?s a lot of history in the Lail family. The wines continue on a very strong qualitative streak, with the less expensive Blueprint wines offering moderate value. Their top cuvées, the Georgia Sauvignon Blanc and J. Daniel Cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon, are world-class quality. One of the great Sauvignon Blancs made in this country is Robin Lail?s serious Sauvignon Blanc Georgia, made with the assistance of wine-consulting guru Frenchman Philippe Melka. This is always 100% Gamble Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from the cooler Yountville sector of southern Napa Valley. It is fermented in 100% new oak and aged 18 months in barrels prior to being released. They only make about 200+ cases of it. Robin Lail was generous enough to serve the 2004 Sauvignon Blanc Georgia to me just to give me an idea of how incredibly well the wine ages. The color looked relatively advanced, but then the aromatics and flavors were zesty and lively, with plenty of buttery melon, great acidity, well-integrated oak (almost none whatsoever) and a rich, honeyed mouthfeel. It is a quite sensational example of 11-year-old Sauvignon Blanc that was still in fabulous condition.