The 2023 Dancing Crow Sauvignon Blanc shows floral aromas including white flowers and citrus blossom. Flavors of lime, mandarin orange and some earthy herbs present themselves upon first sip. Finally, there are hints of a stony minerality with abundant texture and acid on the full, extended finish.
Grapes for the Dancing Crow Sauvignon Blanc come from our vineyards that sit at 1400 ft. elevation on the western shore of Clear Lake in Northern California’s beautiful Lake County. Over thousands of years, runoff from the Mayacamas’ mountain range settled in this area, creating vineyards with a nutrient-rich mix of clay, gravel, and alluvial loams. In the summer months, the mountain climate of Lake County sees hot daytime temperatures; yet the vines can recover from the heat of the day, and respire at night, due to cool coastal breezes pulled in during the evening by the vast size of the lake. This unique combination of elevation, nutrient-rich soil, and hot days & cool nights produces ideal conditions for a true expression of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal at 12.5% alcohol.
Once the grapes ripened, we picked our fruit at the typical 18-22° Brix that provides us with the ideal balance of acidity and flavor. We initiate the picking in the middle of the night to retain natural acidity and freshness before pressing the grapes out into stainless steel tanks. Once the juice has settled for a few days, we inoculate with yeast and ferment dry. We inhibit malolactic fermentation, so we don’t lose any natural freshness, and the wine ages on its lees in the stainless tanks until it is time for bottling.
The 2023 vintage of the Dancing Crow Sauvignon Blanc exalts in floral aromas of Gardenias, white flowers and lemon pith. The flavors arrive quickly and announce themselves with instances of fresh lime, mandarin orange and a suggestion of wild sage. A stony minerality then appears with hints of fresh morning air supporting a beautiful texture and acid on the extended finish. A slight uptick in viscosity uplifts the slightly shyer fruit flavors and imparts a subtle sweetness not apparent on the nose.
2023 harvest was one of the latest in recent memory, with the first bins coming in almost three weeks behind what is customarily normal for us due to cooler temperatures during spring and summer. Winter brought an unusual amount of rain, along with cold weather and wet soils that delayed and then extended the bloom period. Veraison began around late July and proceeded slowly. The cooler growing period has allowed the grapes to mature gradually and produced healthy canopies and increased vine health. In the past year, Lake County saw a dramatic reversal, going from severe drought conditions to one of the wettest winters on record, and the deepest Sierra Nevada snowpack in 40 years. We are thrilled to see our beloved Clear Lake full again, and what that means for the surrounding groundwater at our vineyard. Overall, 2023 will be known for being a high-quality vintage with wines exhibiting beautiful flavors, outstanding balance and vibrant acidity.
