Our eight-year library release of the 2017 Aurora Point Sauvignon Blanc reminds us that wine is not only one of the most beautiful human artifacts, but it can also embody the transformative power of nature at elevation.
For a wine to age gracefully, it must possess extraordinary power and concentration—qualities rarely found, and even rarer in a Sauvignon Blanc. Yet, age-worthiness is a hallmark of wines from Stonestreet Mountain, where terroir and the inexplicable converge to create something truly exceptional.
The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc hails from the Aurora Point vineyard, perched on staggering 30-50% degree slopes at 900 feet above sea level. Here, the vines bask in intense morning light before retreating to the cool shade of the mountain in the afternoon. “It’s a cooler exposure and the grapes have really pretty acidity,” our winemaker Kristina Shideler notes. The altitude’s stronger solar rays also encourage thicker grape skins, lending the wine a subtle tannic structure (yes, even white wines can contain tannin).
The wine’s power and concentration are deeply rooted in the vineyard’s geology and topography. The well-draining soils and steep terrain compel the vines to dig deep for water, channeling their energy into producing small, intensely flavored clusters. And then, there’s the intangible—a mystique to this site that defies explanation. “I can’t explain why it ages,” Kristina admits. “It’s just a very intense site.”
THE HUMAN ELEMENT
Winegrowing plays a vital role in shaping the wine’s profile and power. At Aurora Point Vineyard, each of the three blocks is leafed differently to coax a spectrum of aromas and flavors from the fruit.
At the vineyard’s top, our winegrowing team aggressively removes leaves in the fruiting zone, allowing the intense UV rays to unlock tropical notes like passionfruit. In the middle block, partial leaf removal provides the clusters with dappled sunlight, resulting in the wine’s peachy core. At the bottom, the leaves are left untouched, encouraging vibrant notes of lime zest, kumquat, and exotic tart fruits like pineapple guava (also called feijoa).
These vivid aromatics and flavors are carefully preserved through hand harvesting, whole-cluster pressing, and fermentation in neutral puncheons (120 gallons, twice the size of regular barrels) and foudres (up to 1,200 gallons). The result is a wine that seamlessly integrates power with exotic, expressive fruit.
WHEN PATIENCE PAYS
It takes willpower to lay down a bottle, and great care. One must resist instant gratification and guard against the enemies of time—light, vibrations, low humidity, and temperature fluctuations. At Stonestreet, we’ve taken on this responsibility for you, bottle-aging this wine to perfection. It’s our way of sharing with you the remarkable depth and dimension that high-elevation Sauvignon Blanc can achieve through fastidious attention in the vineyard and cellar, and elevated by the passage of time.
TASTING NOTES: FEIJOA, JASMINE, PEACH, LIME
Now in its eighth year, the 2017 Aurora Point Sauvignon Blanc continues to radiate exotic fruit and power. The wine is showing a pale straw color, gracefully retaining its youthful complexion. On the nose, remarkably vigorous aromas of pineapple guava (feijoa), lychee, saffron, and jasmine leap from the glass. The palate delivers an equally dynamic experience, balancing generous texture with quenching acidity, leading to bright peach and lime characters on the finish. Overall, this is a beautifully integrated, exotic tropical expression with floral and savory nuances—a stunning rendition of age-worthy Sauvignon Blanc cultivated at the extreme limits of winegrowing.
ACCOLADES
93 Points | Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2019
Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Aurora Point Vineyard dazzles with its energy and precision. Apricot, mint, peach, chamomile and dried flowers are beautifully delineated in a Sauvignon that is both focused and textured. Next to the Estate, the Aurora shows more of a stone fruit character and none of the grassier notes found in that wine.
92 Points | Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, June 2019
The 2017s From Sonoma The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Aurora Point Vineyard is also rock solid and offers a richer, more concentrated style as well as notes of white peach, leafy herbs, underbrush, and a rocky, mineral-like character that takes time to emerge from the glass. Nicely balanced, it’s a serious, age-worthy Sauvignon that will keep for over a decade.
91 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker Wine Advocate, February 2019
USA, California, Northern California: Napa & Some Sonoma New Releases The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Aurora Point Vineyard opens with compelling citrus notes of grapefruit, yuzu and lemon zest with touches of baking bread, wild thyme and crushed rocks. Crisp and medium-bodied with a silky texture, it gives loads of citrus layers and a minerally undercurrent with a long zesty finish.
