Clos Pegase Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Winery: Clos Pegase

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Originating in the Bordeaux region of France, the Sauvignon Blanc grape varietal is today found in many different countries around the world. It is a grape which prefers milder temperatures, as too much exposure to heat dulls the juices within the green skinned fruits, leading to wines which are flat and characterless. As such, it is often found in valley regions, or by the coast where it can benefit from cooling oceanic winds before their characteristic early harvest. Indeed, climate appears to be the main variable in regards to the eventual flavor of Sauvignon Blanc wines, and wineries are constantly experimenting with harvesting dates in order to bring out everything from meadow flavors and grassy notes, to citrus and tropical fruit flavors in the bottle. In general, though, Sauvignon Blanc varietal grapes tend to produce wines which are dry, zesty and crisp in their nature, and extremely refreshing when served chilled.

Region: California

California has long been the New World's most important and prodigious wine producing regions, with a history which stretches back to the 18th century and the Spanish pioneers who settled here. Today, California produces vast quantities of wine, and if it were a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine on earth. Despite experiencing many problems in the mid 20th century, including a very serious blight which almost crippled the state's wine industry, the ideal terroir and excellent climate ensured that Californian wines soon became the envy of the New World once again. California produces a vast range of wines, and utilizes a long list of fine grape varietals, with many wineries and their produce more closely resembling those of France and other Old World countries in regards to character, practices and flavors

Country: United States

For three hundred years now, the United States has been leading the New World in wine production, both in regards to quantity and quality. Wine is actually produced in all fifty states across the country, with California leading the way by an enormous margin. Indeed, as much as eighty-nine percent of all wines to come out of the United States are produced in California, where the fertile soils and sloping mountain sides, coupled with the long, hot summers provide ideal conditions for producing high quality, European style red, white and rosé wines. With over a million acres of the country under vine, the United States sits comfortably as the fourth largest wine producer in the world, where imported grape varietals from all over the Old World are processed using a successful blend of traditional and contemporary techniques.

Appellation: Carneros

Carneros is an important wine region, situated in the state of California. However, Carneros differs from other Californian wine regions in several fascinating ways, not least due to the fact that its geographical position make it considerably cooler than the other wine regions within the state. The Pacific fog and winds which pass over the dozens of vineyards of Carneros make the region ideal for growing fine imported French grape varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. As such, the region of Carneros is home to many of the United States' finest sparkling wines, many of which are made using the methode champenoise, and which are renowned for their beautiful flavors and characterful nature. However, Carneros is also home to many fine still red and white wines, made from a wide range of imported grape varietals which thrive in the cool climate and mineral rich soils of this coastal area.