2023 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc Mary's Block
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Tasting notes
60–65% new oak. Medium lemon in colour. One of the very best US Sauvignon Blancs I have encountered. Expressive – balancing mineral with grapefruit, tangerine oil, pineapple and cut grass. More pith and creaminess of texture than the entry-level. A touch of oak toast on the finish. Oh-so complex and gorgeous with impeccable balance. (SCJ)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Mary's Block is cut from the same cloth, yet it brings a touch of density and richness. Ripe, honeyed lemons, minty herbs, and sappy herb notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, balanced, has a beautiful texture, and outstanding length.
The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Mary's Block emerges from a tiny block on the property with Clone 1 Sauvignon Blanc, also known as Liparita. Rich, creamy and expansive, the 2023 is flat-out gorgeous. Lemon confit, tangerine peel, sage, mint and dried herbs are all amplified. The Mary's Block was done entirely mostly in wood, with about 75% new oak, but that is not especially evident. It's superb in every way.
About the producer
Spottswoode is one of those rare Napa estates whose reputation rests less on volume or spectacle than on persistent exactitude. Set on the western edge of St Helena, where the Mayacamas rise and afternoon breezes temper the valley’s warmth, the vineyard occupies a favoured pocket of the appellation.