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{ SOMMjournal.com } 53 TASTING NOTES St. Supéry produces three Sauvignon Blancs from the Dollarhide property: a Napa Valley Estate bottling, a Dollarhide Estate Vineyard selection and Virtú, a Sauvignon Blanc–Semillon blend that sees time in wood. Scholz's hallmark winemaking style is consistent throughout the three wines: purity of fruit and excellent fruit-to-acid balance. Green and Biodiverse The ranch and all St. Supéry winemaking facilities are certified Napa Green, an environmental certifica- tion for vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley. The philosoph y of Napa Green is a holistic approach to viticulture and winemaking, integrating sustainable practices at every stage of the process. The certi - fication is conducted by independent third parties. Napa Green is widely considered one of the most comprehensive environmental accreditations offered by the wine industry. A large part of the sustainability effort at Dollarhide is biodiversity and involves cultivating more than just wine grapes. Today more than 1,200 heirloom fruit trees, including 87 varieties of peaches and 34 variet - ies of nectarines, are grown on the estate, as well as a diverse selection of apples, plums and Asian pears. In season, fruit is incorporated into the winery's tasting experiences, made into preserves and sold to some of Napa Valley's finest restaurants and at seasonal Bay Area farmer's markets. There are over 1,000 acres of undeveloped land on the estate that is preserved for wildlife. The ranch's seven lakes not only serve as a much-needed water source for the estate vineyards, but are filled with largemouth bass and provide a home to a wide range of birds, from waterfowl to owls, egrets, cranes and a bald eagle. To help control insect pests and the gopher popula - tion, bird boxes were installed for bluebirds and owls. Jackrabbits, foxes and the occasional mountain lion and bear all make the ranch their home. "We're able to grow all our own grapes because of the magnitude of the property," says winemaker Michael Scholz. St. Supéry 2016 Napa Valley Estate Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $22) 100% stainless steel fermented; 13.5% ABV SIGHT: Pale straw green. NOSE: Delicately herbal with citrus blossom, grapefruit, green pear, and lime. PALATE: Fine balance of fruit to acid; tart, vibrant, refreshing, and long with slight phenolics on the finish. St. Supéry 2016 Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $35) Fruit for the Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is comprised of a 100% vineyard selection of older vines grown in deep loamy soils on the Dollarhide prop- erty. Fermentation: 19% in barrel and 81% stainless steel; barrel lots are aged for five months in new (18%) French oak. 13.5% ABV; 3,507 cases produced. SIGHT: Deep straw green. NOSE: Ripe grapefruit and Meyer lemon with notes of white floral, light green herb, crème brûlée and a hint of wood spice. PALATE: Seamless fruit-to-acid balance with integrated wood influence and an elegant, linger- ing finish. St. Supéry 2015 Napa Valley Estate Virtú (SRP $30) 60% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc. Fermentation: 68% barrel-fermented with 32% in stainless steel; 8% of the total went through malolactic. Both lots were aged for seven months, with the barrel component in 100% French barrels, 38% of which were new. 13.5% ABV; 602 cases produced. SIGHT: Pale yellow green. NOSE: White floral, green pear, tart citrus, lemon grass, and toast. PALATE: Wood becomes more apparent on the palate but is seamlessly integrated. Sauvignon Blanc character dominates at this early stage, but the Semillon will start to show in six to nine months.