MANA from Spring Mountain!!

We’re venturing into never-before-seen territory to unearth previously undiscovered gems like THIS. Heck, even NASA’s fancy new Webb telescope couldn’t even find a deal like this.

Just finding this wine to share with you gave us a huge ego boost. But that doesn’t help you, does it? So, we bargained hard and negotiated it from $60 down to a much friendlier $20. That’s nearly 70% OFF, Ops! You simply cannot find another white with this much style, and straight-up clout-chasing CACHET at this price. Period. Think the likes of Eisele or Peter Michael. No joke.

Marston Family Vineyards is not your average winery. From their perch atop Spring Mountain, they’ve quietly been making tiny amounts (like a thousand cases TOTAL) of highly sought-after insiders’ wines for years. It’s the kind of sanctuary you need to know a guy who knows a guy to even visit. Ultra-small production, truly an ‘in the know’ spot offering most of their wine through a small mailing list.

Phillipe Melka led the winemaking here for many years, so you know the standards are high. Their Albion bottling is mostly Sauvignon Blanc with a bit of Semillon. It has Pessac-Leognan style richness yet definitely leans more into the crisp Sauvignon Blanc side of things. Gorgeous floral aromas pop from the golden pour - white flowers, honeysuckle, and jasmine. That carries into the mouth where you get a load of melon, grapefruit, lemon/lime, and lovely minerality. Great acidity, too, adding to the complexity.

Grown entirely on the Gamble Family Vineyard in Yountville sandwiched between Cardinale Estate and Del Dotto, one could not ask for a more prime and pure fruit source. Press? None on this 2017 per se, but recent vintages have begun to get the hefty scores these deserve, with Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate raving about the “crisp, clean and seriously zippy” style and Jeb Dunnuck finding “a rocking little Bordeaux Blanc-like Sauvignon Blanc” that’s “going to be incredibly versatile on the dinner table…” which could not be more true about where this one is at.

You can therefore find this wine at The French Laundry or buy it direct from Marston Family - or from us at an insane price. We’re lucky to get enough to share, but sadly the deal resulted in less than we hoped for. If you’re one of the lucky ones to read this, get one or two extra bottles because we totally expect to hear “WOW just tried the Albion and loved it. Do you have more??”

…no guarantees. This has a one and done opportunity written all over it.