The 2009 Pinot Blanc from his estate vineyards in Oakville has loads of orange, nectarine, and poached apple notes, light to medium body, a good bit of fruit, and a dry, crisp finish. Drink it over the next year. Long-time veteran winemaker Nils Venge continues to turn out an enticing group of essentially unoaked or minimally oaked white wines from Saddleback that emphasize their varietal character. They are delicious to drink from the get-go and are very food-friendly. Moreover, they offer considerable value.Tel. (707) 944-1305; Fax (707) 944-1325

Fruity, oaky and simple, with tangerine, vanilla, buttered popcorn and smoky flavors. Drink now.——S.H.(12/15/2009)—— 84

The 2007 Pinot Blanc offers delectable notes of white peaches and orange blossoms along with delicious, crisp, elegant, medium-bodied flavors. This dry white is best consumed during the first 1-2 years of life. This is a two-tiered operation with the Saddleback Cellars wines generally made from blends of estate fruit from their 20 acres in Oakville as well as purchased lots. The Venge Family Reserve cuvees are made from nearly all estate grown fruit with small amounts of purchased fruit utilized as well. The Venge Family Reserve wines tend to be the more esteemed, and consequently, are higher priced. This is a fun estate to visit as there is no shortage of personality from the father and son team of Nils and Kirk Venge. The flagship offerings appear under the Venge Family Reserve label. Some enticing wines are produced, largely from estate vineyards in Oakville, but occasionally supplemented by purchased fruit.Tel. (707) 944-1305; Fax (707) 944-1325; Venge Family Reserve: Tel. (707) 942-9100; Fax (707) 942-9121

The best of the Saddleback whites at this tasting was the 2006 Pinot Blanc, a superb example of this varietal offering up notes of apple skins, orange blossoms, and citrus oil. The two Venges, father Nils and son Kirk, look like two Vikings who somehow ended up in Napa Valley, with Nils taking the cowboy route and Kirk following a more conservative path. They own over twenty acres of estate vineyards, six of which are dedicated to the Venge Family Reserve operation in Oakville, and the balance to the Saddleback label. They supplement their estate production with some purchased fruit that forms the backbone of their white wine program, all light, non-malolactic whites that are meant to be drunk during their first several years of life.Tel. (707) 944-1305; Fax (707) 944-1325; Venge Winery tel. (707) 967-1008

A beautiful white, the 2005 Pinot Blanc (the white clone of Pinot Noir) exhibits plenty of orange rind, apricot, and melon notes, good underlying minerality, crisp acidity, and loads of flavor. Consume this sexy, dry, food-friendly white over the next 1-2 years. Previously recommended: 2002 Venge Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (97), 2003 Venge Family Reserve Merlot (90).Saddleback Cellars tel. (707) 944-1305; fax (707) 944-1325; Venge Winery tel. (707) 967-1008