2024 Sauvignon blanc
In 2022, I was working at Black Star Farms and this same Sauvignon Blanc vineyard was the first pick of our season. The wine that fruit turned into was one of my favorite tanks of the season, and it really got me stoked on Sauvy B in Northern Michigan. When it came time to figure out what fruit I wanted for my first vintage, I shamelessly reached out, hoping to snag a small amount of that vineyard, and they were kind enough to sell me some.
The juice was fermented two thirds with native yeasts (ones found naturally in the vineyard/fruit/cellar) and one third with commercial, pitched yeasts. I’ve since switched to fermenting everything exclusively with native yeasts, but I’ll bore you with those tedious details later.
This wine naturally went through malo-lactic fermentation–a characteristic that is lauded in red wines and Chardonnay but seen as a pretty firm no bueno in the world of Sauvignon Blanc. So its acid was softened a bit, and the body of the wine became a little richer. Some folks find this wine a little unusual. I’ve had a lot of people tell me that it doesn’t taste like sauvy b, or that it doesn’t taste like other ones up here. Which I guess could be either good or bad.
But hot damn I love this wine. Most people always reach for white wine on warm days, sure, but as I write this, I’m watching the first snow fall up here, and man, it’s great for sipping next to a fire too. She’s got bones. And fruit. And just enough acid in the end to keep it refreshing. The other day I had someone reference it as the wine that tastes like Peach Rings. As a former brewer, I couldn’t be more proud.
Process:
The fruit was picked on September 18, 2024
After an 8 hour cold soak on skins, the grapes were pressed into a neutral oak barrel and stainless steel vessels. The juice was fermented with a combination of native yeast and pitched yeast cultures and fermentation happened slowly (a range of 4 to 6 months). After a native malolactic fermentation, the wines were allowed to settle outside for a month, then blended and bottled unfiltered in early August of 2025.
Tasting notes:
Apricots and pineapple marmalade
Textural and rich with a balancing
Lime peel acidity
34 cases produced