A terrific Sauvignon Blanc, pure and bright in citrus and tropical fruit, mineral and honeysuckle flavors, finished with a little bit of creamy oak. Finishes sweet in fruity essence, yet clean and dry. Shows how compatible the Sauvignon Blanc grape is with the valley’s climate and soils.——S.H.(4/1/2012)—— 92

New oak ranged from 25% to 38%. The 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Santa Ynez Valley is a beautiful wine endowed with gorgeous textural richness, but no heaviness. A precise, delineated bouquet leads to melon, pears and flowers in this expressive Sauvignon. A vein of chalkiness provides vibrancy and energy on this finish. The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel and French oak barrels, with a total of 10% new oak. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2016. This is an impressive set of wines from Dragonette Cellars. Sauvignon Blanc is unusual in the Central Coast, where most regions are too warm for this aromatic grape, but no one does it better than Dragonette. With the exception of the Fiddlestix, which did not show well, the Pinots are equally fine. The Pinots were aged in French oak for approximately 15 months prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered.Tel. (805) 737-0200; info@dragonettecellars.com