2017 Tenor Sauvignon Blanc

It isn’t unusual to create a 100% Sauvignon Blanc, or to barrel ferment it, or to do it in high percentages of new oak, or even to macerate the grapes. However, doing all of these things and letting the maceration continue for 24-48 hours (much longer than traditionally done) results in a truly unique wine that dis- plays the intensity and depth of character for which Tenor has become known. It also enables us to deliver a Sauvignon Blanc that will age for 6-10 years and still maintain its structure and freshness.

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"Cellar Selection. Barrel fermented and aged in 600 L puncheons, this 100% varietal wine was macerated on skins for over 24 hours. The aromas intrigue, with notes of lemon pith, wet granite, papaya, herb, grapefruit and the underside of a pineapple. The palate is full, almost creamy in feel, redolent with tropical fruit, herb and citrus flavors, carrying some heft. It extends on the finish. A stylistic interpretation of the variety, it should do well with a bit of time in the cellar, drinking best on its third day open. Best after 2020."

92 points - Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast

Tasting Notes

White tea, spring flowers, lychee, honeycomb and pineapple core. With air it shows tense and chalky with raw baking spices, white peach and sugarcane. The palate is polished and angular with tropical fruits, white tea and chalky tannin with terrific persistence.

Scores & Reviews

"White tea, spring flowers, lychee, honeycomb and pineapple core. Introducing air, it shows tense and chalky with raw bak- ing spices, white peach and sugarcane. The palate is polished and angular with tropical fruits, white tea and chalky tannin with terrific persistence."
90 points - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

"(this wine had been bottled the day before I tasted it at the end of June; 100% fermented in 600-liter Stockinger barrels): Very pale lemon-yellow. Pungent aromas of lemon drop, grapefruit pith and dried herbs. Juicy, penetrating wine with terrific intensity to its flavors of citrus zest, spices, licorice and flint. But this very rich Sauvignon Blanc also delivers a touch of sweetness that's perfectly countered by lively harmonious acidity. This dense wine finishes with serious musky grapefruit lift and rising length. Today it impresses more than Tenor's 2016 Chardonnay."
91 points - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous