Beginning in 2009, this is our ninth vintage of Albion and continues in the traditional Bordeaux Blanc style with rich, concentrated fruit balanced by an elegant backbone of acidity and personality. Named for our forefather, Albion Paris Marston, this expression of Sauvignon Blanc combines classic Old World structure with New World fruit, embracing our heritage from the chalk cliffs of Dover to the Pacific Coast of Northern California, declared “New Albion” by Sir Francis Drake.

The 2017 growing season began with welcomed rainfall that refilled reservoirs and replenished soils, causing an end to the drought that had persisted throughout the Napa Valley for years. Favorable Spring conditions lead to healthy cluster development, complemented by warm afternoons and cool evenings throughout the early summer months. The modest crop handled the consistent weather patterns beautifully and achieved optimal ripeness to allow for harvest well before a significant heat wave arrived over Labor Day weekend in early September. In the vineyard, the 2017 vintage maintained incredible consistency and uniformity within the vineyard block, and the healthy canopies provided ample protection and dappled sunlight to allow for gradual development. A lighter crop meant the balance of the vines was ideal, which also mitigated the need for any dramatic mid-season adjustments. Flavor and phenological development were in lockstep, which allowed for calculated harvest decisions.

An inviting nose of guava, green mango, and citrus blossoms is balanced by a zesty precision. The white peach front leads to a silky mouth of tangerine, melon, and grapefruit, kept taut by a beautiful backbone of minerality.