ABOUT: Spottswoode Estate is one of the jewels in the Napa Valley crown and the wines, in our opinion, are some of the finest in the valley. This 45 acre estate (37 planted to vines) has a long history dating back to the 1880’s when it was founded by George Schonewald who was first to put vines in the ground. In 1910 the Spott’s family picked it up, then in 1972 the Novak family acquired the property and are the current operators. Some stellar wine makers have spent time here, Tony Soter, Rosemary Cakebread, Pam Starr, Jennifer Williams, and the current winemaker, supremely talented Aron Weinkauf. Tony Soter started the move towards organic viticulture and Spottswoode was one of the first to be certified organic. They are known for their Cabernet Sauvignon which grows on alluvial fan within the city limits of St. Helena, not just in the appellation. Their Sauvignon Blanc is also making white waves and we consume as much as we can. If you’re visiting St. Helena you must make a stop at Spottswoode and take a tour and buy bottles. TASTE: Wow. Not what we expected from a Napa Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit for this lovely thing come from the Spottswoode vineyard but also Hyde Vineyard, Stagecoach, and various spots around Sonoma. Upon handshake it’s crisp and steely with aromas and flavors of guava and pineapple, lemons and limes, peels and juice, apricot, acacia, grapefruit and salt. It’s leaning towards full-bodied with a nice streak of limey acidity, perfectly friendly and versatile with many food stuffs. PAIR: Tomatillo salsa, roasted asparagus, zucchini tartlets, peas & corn, roasted veggie burrito, and French fries.
