Grown at Riva Ranch located in Arroyo Seco, our Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc features a crisp, dry profile driven by cool climate acidity. This vineyard was established in 1962 and was one of the first commercial vineyards in the area. The soil is gravelly, which allows for excellent drainage and its ability to retain heat. 2025 was a cooler vintage with long hang times, leading to refined, elegant flavor profiles. These grapes were grown organically without organic certification.
This year, we used a Sauvignon Blanc yeast selected from the Loire Valley of France, which is noted for its ability to enhance Sauvignon Blanc characteristics. Our Lead Winemaker, Todd Weiher, implemented a slow and cool primary fermentation that lasted about three weeks. This vintage had 6 months of stainless-steel barrel age. The wine was aged on the lees for four months to enhance texture and complexity, with 90% in stainless steel to preserve its bright, fresh character, and 10% in neutral French oak to introduce subtle roundness and depth. This thoughtful combination retains the vibrant fruit and crisp acidity of Monterey-grown Sauvignon Blanc while layering in complexity and a delicate softness on the finish.
Aromatic and expressive, the 2025 Sauvignon Blanc opens with bright herbaceous notes, grapefruit zest, a touch of bell pepper and fresh-cut grass—classic markers of the variety. On the palate, it’s crisp and fresh, with a dry, light-bodied frame that carries notes of lime, green apple, green bell pepper, gooseberry, and refreshing minerality. Its lively acidity and clean finish make it an ideal pairing for herbed goat cheese, oysters on the half shell, yellowtail sashimi, scallops, spring vegetable dishes, grilled shrimp with lime, ceviche, Thai green curry, and citrus-dressed salads. On the nose, aromatics of citrus, intense herbaceous notes, green bell pepper, and overall freshness. The palate is dry, mineral-driven, and light-bodied with notes of gooseberry, passion fruit, and fresh cut grass.
