sauvignon blanc
2025 Culmination Sauvignon Blanc – Barrel-Aged, You Will Shout About It From the Mountain Tops
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
This is the third year that Wood Family Vineyards has produced barrel aged Sauvignon Blanc. They have have elevated this release to their second or premier label called Culmination. This is now the fourth wine being offered in the series.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
The grapes 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 will be 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.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This is like no ordinary Sauvignon Blanc I have experienced in my wine life! I heaped praise on it last year only to have the wine elevated even further with the 2025 release!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes this is a deeper golden color than ordinary stainless steel fermented wine with a much thicker viscosity, noticeable in the glass. On the nose dominate aromas of honeysuckle and lemon grass waft gently into the senses arousing the imbiber to take the first sip of this exotic elixir. Once on the palate, bright and lively flavors burst forth of lemon and lime, but not like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, much more subdued and yet energetic and content still providing lively and restrained flavors. Lemon custard and tropical passion fruit, along with stone fruits of peach and apricot, softly coat the mouth. On the palate the intriguing and unique textural feel in the mouth was astonishing. Finally, concluding the sipping experience, the acidity is counterbalanced by a brioche note, making for a mildly tart, yet graceful finish, possessing finesse to produce an enjoyable drink. Mellow and flavorful cantaloupe taste was noted on the finish. This is a heavenly richer, full-bodied oak influence with creamy texture.
The alcohol level is 14.5% and the price for this is $50/bottle, which is a bit higher than your average Sauvignon Blanc, but this is anything but ordinary! Set to be released early October, this will surely sell out quickly for its flavor profile and uniqueness with only 6 barrels being produced. The wine was aged in 14% new Acacia barrels, 14% neutral Acacia barrels and 72% in neutral French barrels.
This wine will make my annual Best Wines Tasted in 2026 due to its unique and mouth filling presence and flavors. In my opinion, following Wood Family Vineyards for 25 years, this may be the best wine Rhonda Wood has produced across the lineup, and she has won a tremendous number of awards!
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 to pair this evening with a baked Italian chicken rollatini. It is baked breaded fileted chicken filled with prosciutto and smoked provolone cheese. Ingredients included kosher salt, black pepper, EVOO, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, provolone cheese, prosciutto and butter. Accompanied by steamed broccoli and sweet yellow and white corn. The bright acidity and citrusy herbal notes of Sauvignon Blanc cut right through the rich, sweet, and buttery flavors of corn, making it a delicious and refreshing match.
The Winery
Photo from Wood Family Vineyards website
Wood Family Vineyards, located in eastern Livermore Valley with Rhonda Wood owner & winemaker, has been producing award winning wines for over two decades. You can read more on her background from airline pilot to award winning winemaker at the link below and their website.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
Dave’s Porch Wine – Sauvignon Blanc and Blackened Coho Salmon
Photos ©Michael Kelly
A quick and simple meal while watching Monday night football. While this may seem like groundhog day, tonight’s line caught Coho salmon filet was prepared a bit differently. Cooked with butter, kosher salt and ginger paste. Prepared with a homemade blackened spice rub that included dried coriander, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, cayenne, honey and soy sauce. Served on a bed of mangoes and freshly cut pineapple. The fruit helps cut the heat of the spices.
Photos ©Michael Kelly
Paired with a long-time favorite Dave’s Porch Wine Sauvignon Blanc on the nose, it is aromatic with dried herbs and white peach. On the palate is where this wine showed its pedigree and phenomenal taste. Not a typical New Zealand (with strong citrus flavors & super crisp) but one of restrained character of brioche, silky and smooth, with a touch of apricot and a mild lemongrass. Secondary flavors of papaya and lime were also present. The finish is all mouth consuming with an intense full body and was long lasting, especially for a Sauvignon Blanc. As intended, a delicious meal.
I could have fish two nights in a row as my wife, who does not like fish, is traveling to northern California for the week.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Aridus Wine Company – Finally Visiting and Tasting Their Wines in Person
Background
As a wine writer and a recent transplant to Arizona, I knew there were roughly 150 plus wineries in Arizona, with approximately 80% of all the wines produced using Willcox grapes. Decided I needed to understand the area and ventured off to meet a few of the wineries/winemakers and of course taste the wines. Surprisingly I have not been able to find many of the Arizonan wines in local bottle shops or retail stores.
Willcox AVA Background
The Willcox AVA is the largest in Arizona and encompasses 833 square miles in southern Arizona.
Map from University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
The length ranges from 40 to 45 miles, running north and south and the width averaging between 15 to 25 miles wide east to west. It is a large flat valley (or playa/bench) with an average elevation of most vineyards being 4,200 to almost 5,000 feet elevations. The Willcox Playa is sitting between the Dragoon Mountains to the west reaching 7,500 feet and the Chiricahua with the highest point 8,000 feet and Dos Cabezas Mountains 7,500 feet to the east. The highest mountain peak is in the northeast at 8,100 feet. With the high mountains surrounding the high valley floor, the diurnal temperature swings (daytime to nighttime) can average between 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit. This cooling down feature from the mountain air sinking to the basin, is a hallmark in preserving acidity in the grapes.
The land is a combination of sandy-gravelly, alluvial and volcanic loam soils which are ideal for vineyard sustainability. The Willcox AVA was designated in September 2016. Many indigenous people occupied the land like the Chiricahua Apache’s including the well-known leaders Cochise and Geronimo.
The Winery
As the title alludes to “visiting in person” is that I had previously tasted their wines both in California and in Arizona but had not met with them. This was one of the key appointments on my itinerary for this trip. Previous stories have been on their Syrah and Graciano with the Graciano making my annual list of Best Wines tasted in 2024.
Photo from Aridus Wine Company
Met with Jef Steben, their winemaker for the last two and a half years with Scott Dahmer, the winery owner. We met at their stand alone tasting room at 145 N Railroad Ave in Willcox, AZ. They also have another beautiful tasting room in Scottsdale, AZ at 7173 E Main St.
Photo from Aridus Wine Company
The conversation started out similar to a few previous ones with other wineries discussing the AMA (Active Management Area) that was designated by the Arizona Department of Water Resources to preserve groundwater supplies, address severed land subsidence and stop earth fissures caused by over-extraction. The issue for Willcox AVA, that being registering for well water rights as to obtain water, everyone must drill wells in to a depth of 420 feet. There is conflict with the valley ranchers who reportedly have an estimated one million to one million and a half head of cattle consuming an extraordinary amount of water. The cattle ranches are “gobbling” up land to increase their ranches and herds. Grape growers in the AVA use a fraction of the water but are strictly regulated. For more information you can read: https://www.azwater.gov/ama/willcox-ama . The irrigation freeze (with some wineries grandfathered) prohibits entirely new acreage being planted. Landowners can only irrigate acres there were legally watered between 2019 and 2024. The crux of the issue is that lactating cow’s consume 25-35 gallons of water per day, beef cows 6-15 gallons per day and bulls require 10-15 gallons per day year-round. Vineyards in the heat of the summer require 5-8 gallons and with a drip system can get by with only 2 gallons a day, being watered 2-3 times a week. With vineyards being dormant in the winter there is a large disparity in consumption with the wineries being shortchanged in this archaic mandated ruling by the government. More later on this topic.
Back to wine! The discussion then centered on Jef’s enology degree from UC Davis in Fermentation Science and subsequent work experience at various wineries. Jef is an extremely experienced winemaker and knowledgeable in his craft. Scott mentioned that the vineyard was planted in 2015 in white wines and in 2018 they introduce their red vines. Today on the 40-acre land, they have 33 acres planted in vineyards in mostly volcanic composition soil. The vineyard is approximately 5,200 feet elevation and is one of the highest if not the highest in Willcox AVA. Being at this altitude provides a cooler climate than the bench (valley) of between 10-15 degrees.
We went through a “limited tasting” by my desire, due to timing and wanting to narrow the scope of wines to be tasted. Currently in their lineup they have the following white wines: Malvasia Bianco, Oasis (blend), Sauvignon Blanc, Scott’s Chardonnay and Viognier. The red wine line up is more extensive with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo, Graciano Port and BBB Word Unsaid.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We settled on a limited number of wines to be tasted and evaluated each wine, which we promptly rated each as delicious. The first two being current offerings of white wine selections. The first wine was called OASIS a special blend that Jef proudly pours of Malvasia and Muscat and one other “secret varietal”. This is your patio pounder first possessing a bright and clean look, with a bouquet of floral aromas. To be served cool and can be paired with just about anything!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Up next was the 2024 Sauvignon Blanc with its true varietal characteristics of grapefruit, lime and passion fruit. A truly delightful wine and one to be paired with seafood and other selected dishes.
The third white wine will be available in October 2026, that being the Viognier (no picture). This was aged in a stone vat providing texture and nuances not necessarily found in Viognier yet still capturing key aromatics of the varietal. Those include the dominant soft apricot and honeysuckle. Once on the palate, stone fruit and melon gently coated the palate and yet the acidity and uplifting qualities were still present.
Next up was the 2024 Merlot (no picture). An extremely smooth, dark and lovely Merlot for sipping while sitting next to a fire. At this point in the tasting/discussions, what hit me was that while using the dump bucket, as I had two more meetings and some significant driving still to do, I felt extremely guilty as each wine simply got better and better!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This fourth wine, 2024 Malbec tied for the best scores of the tasting hitting all the key characteristics of the varietal. This again will be released in October 2026. Dark and juicy with an undeniable purple hue in the glass and crossed between a fine waltz and bar room brawl on the palate. Delicious and full of energy and one to get right away!
While the last, after much discussion about the 8th Annual International Cabernet Franc Competition coming up in March in 2027, Scott insisted I try their 2024 Cabernet Franc. While I created the event and am the host, I don’t judge in the competition. Just on the aroma alone, I would declare this wine a real contender for an excellent award (the actual competition being a blind event, so I am not influencing anyone!). This had a similar pedigree like the Malbec being rough and tumble and yet elegant and graceful. I have a friend coming the following week from Texas and bought a bottle to share with him when here. We, or more specifically I was so taken back by the quality of the wine, I didn’t capture a picture. Suffice it to say this would be another one to get upon release.
In conclusion and rushing out of the meeting as it extended the allotted time by over an hour, I was off to another winery. Upon my next visit to Aridus Wine Company, I will allow a lot more time to savor and enjoy their exquisite wines.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2023 Wood Family Vineyards Barrel Aged Sauvignon Blanc – A Great Alternative
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.
A recap from my story written regarding the 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 Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The first thing you notice is a different bottle from the 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.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Today they produced this barrel aged Sauvignon Blanc under their new designation called Culmination. The grapes 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 is listed at $50/bottle.
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
When it is 110 degrees one is always looking for a cool and light dinner option. My wife prepared a Chinese Chicken Salad that was spot on for this evening meal. The recipe consisted of besides the shredded chicken, shredded Chinese cabbage, red cabbage finely shredded, julienned carrot, finely sliced green onions. Garnished with crunchy Chow Mein noodles (next photo). Previously she made a homemade Asian dressing that she was not pleased with so went with Open Nature Asian Style Ginger Sesame dressing that was great!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The food and wine pairing was spot on with the bright acidity and slight sweetness cutting through the rich sesame oil, soy sauce and sweet-tangy ginger vinaigrette. While the temperature is holding in the 110-113 degree range for the next 10 days, I am looking forward to having this meal a few more times.
On a personal note, I previously stated her stainless-steel Sauvignon Blanc made my Best Wines of year tasted and now this will make my annual list of Best Wines Tasted in 2026. They are both delicious and pending on the food pairing, will choose one or the other to have with the meal.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly