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2023 Wood Family Vineyards Barrel Aged Sauvignon Blanc with Blackened Mahi Mahi
Background
Wood Family Vineyards introduced their new Sauvignon Blanc on April 28th, 2024. This is in the Fumé Blanc California style. What makes this different than their current Sauvignon Blanc, which is produced in stainless steel tanks, they made a barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc. This entailed making 4 barrels in neutral oak barrels and 1 in an Acacia barrel. After 3 months, they transferred the wine from the Acacia barrel to another neutral barrel. They continued aging the wine in oak for an additional 5 months before bottling.
The great fact of the matter, Sauvignon Blanc wine lovers now will have a choice in two distinct profiles going forward from Wood Family Vineyards.
After this 2023 release, they are bottling this unique wine under the CULMINATION label.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The first thing you notice is a different bottle from stainless steel. The stainless-steel Sauvignon Blanc bottle is clear with a screw cap. The barrel treated version has a colored glass bottle and a cork top.
The specific Acacia wood barrel and stirring of the lees makes the wine feel creamier and much broader on the palate. This is exactly the taste and texture Wood Family Vineyards targeted for this wine. Still the same basic flavors of the stainless steel but some slight nuances. The 2023 Barrel Aged Sauvignon Blanc picked up besides textural qualities, it also mellowed out or tempered the stronger notes of the grapefruit and citrus. The aging also provided a secondary aroma and herbaceous flavors not found in the stainless steel. Present was more lemon grass and a tinge of vanilla on the finish which was so refreshing and contrasting to the citrus qualities. The wine ends up being refreshing, high in acidity, complex and creamy. This is precisely the qualitative difference Rhonda Wood was striving to make showcasing the barrel aging offering. This came in at 13.6% alcohol with only 415 cases being produced.
A recap from my story written regarding their stainless-steel Sauvignon Blanc stated the following:
“The stainless-steel fermented version is very close to a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with grapefruit, lemon grass, etc. However, this is just a bit “tamer’ with pineapple, yet zesty and lively. On the eyes there is a tantalizing light golden coloring and medium viscosity. On the nose aromas of lemon grass and tropical floral rise to meet the imbiber. On the palate, the strong flavors of grapefruit and lemon grass swirl about like a party in the mouth. Mostly tart with a faint hint of pineapple and passion fruit. On the finish, a puckering and enjoyable finish of lemon zest. A complete and hearty Sauvignon Blanc from Livermore!!”
The grapes currently come from the historic Louis Mel Ranch that was established in 1884. Mrs. Mel was friends with the Marquise of Chateau d’ Yquem and was able to secure cuttings from there. This is the second release of Rhonda Wood’s Sauvignon Blanc aged in barrel. The wine is fermented in three barrels with one being an Acacia barrel aged for 7 months. The other two barrels were aged in neutral French oak. They were kept separate until tanked for bottling and aged on the lees and stirred every two weeks. The 2024 Culmination, barrel aged Sauvignon Blanc is listed at $50/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
From a previous article, 2023 made my Best Wines tasted in 2026.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Pulled this wine from the cellar to go with a blackened Mahi Mahi picked up at Nelson’s Meat & Fish Market in Scottsdale midday. As a plug, Nelson’s carries some of the best fresh fish found in the Phoenix area! Ingredients for the blackened spices include onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme leaves, dried oregano leaves, kosher ground salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander and cumin. The fish was then pan fried at a high temperature using butter, lemon juice and EVOO. This turned out a “bit hot and spicy” and perhaps a bit too much for such a tender Mahi Mahi. Next time will cut down on the cayenne and smoked paprika.
This was served on a bed of cut pineapple and accompanied by baked halved small potatoes and fresh sourdough slices. Both did help with the spices of the blackened fish, helping to neutralize the zest. A good pairing that will only get better with an adjustment on the spices. Next up will be using the spices on a blackened meatier swordfish.
The high acidity and noted citrus quality of the wine paired well with the spicy crust on the fish.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
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