2022 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County, California (750ml)
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Born and raised in Colombia, Bibiana González Rave had little exposure to wine culture. At the time, wine was not part of everyday life in her native country—it was considered a luxury item to enjoy only on special occasions. She would sip from her father’s glass and became fascinated by the nuances of wine. By the age of 14, she knew she would become a winemaker—the only question was how to get there.
In Colombia, she studied chemical engineering and business, and later moved to the birthplace of modern winemaking, France, to study viticulture and oenology in Cognac. She earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Bordeaux, graduating with honors. Bibiana’s first vintage in California was 2004. By taking advantage of opposite seasons in northern and southern hemispheres she managed to work six harvests in three years, traveling to South Africa to work harvests at Soronsberg Cellars in the Tulbagh region. Back in California, she worked at La Crema, Peay Vineyards, Au Bon Climat and Qupé before Lynmar Estate, where she was winemaker from 2009 through early 2012. Bibiana is married to winemaker Jeff Pisoni and together they craft Shared Notes, an homage to Sauvignon Blanc and their only joint winemaking venture. Bibiana created her Alma de Cattleya wines to represent the uniqueness of Northern California: Alma means "soul" in Spanish—and Cattleya is the national flower of her native country, Colombia. This wine is comprised of a selection of Sauvignon Blanc clones (Clone 1 and Musque), and is a blend of five different vineyards from beautiful hillside locations across Sonoma County. The fruit was harvested at night and immediately sorted at the winery. Following a gentle pressing, the juice was settled overnight, then racked to remove the heavy lees. The juice was then carefully transferred to French oak barrels for fermentation. Meticulous care during fermentation allowed for the preservation of Sauvignon Blanc's unique, intense, and refreshing aromatics. This wine was aged on its lees in neutral French oak barrels for six months before bottling. Pale straw with a hint of green. Very aromatic, showing complex herbal notes. The palate is bright and refreshingly crisp, with flavors suggesting underripe mango, papaya and fresh lemon. The finish is long and juicy with beautiful, chalky minerality.