Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Sourced from a site in Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma), the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Andrews Vineyard features dominant notes of passion fruit and grapefruit. It's medium-bodied and silky textured, finishing clean and refreshing, without any overly green or aggressively herbal notes.

Tasting Notes

Upon just opening the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc amazing scents jump from the bottle. Without even swirling the glass vast levels of mango, passionfruit and rosewater are apparent. There are underpinning elements of jasmine and fresh cut citrus. The palate is
rich for a Sauvignon Blanc where tropical fruit flavors of guava and kiwi persist. There is a long floral and passionfruit finish. This is a bright lively wine meant to be enjoyed chilled in its youth. 

Vineyard Notes

The valley is formed by Dry Creek, a tributary of the Russian River, and is approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) long and 2 miles (3.2 km) wide. The appellation benefits from the close proximately of the Lake Sonoma reservoir for irrigation in this relatively dry area. At the turn of the 20th century, Dry Creek Valley was one of California's most prominent producers of Zinfandel. During Prohibition, much of the valley was converted to plum, pear, and prune trees, and much of the fruit was processed by Sunsweet Growers in Healdsburg. Since the resurgence of wine grape production in the 1970s, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel have become the most planted varietals, and Dry Creek Valley AVA has become one of the state's top Zinfandel producers. Sauvignon Blanc has become the most important white grape varietal produced in the valley.

70 miles north of San Francisco and 20 miles east of the Pacific Ocean, Dry Creek Valley is ideally situated for wine grapes. Bordered by Lake Sonoma in the North and the confluence of Dry Creek and the Russian River to the south, the valley is classified as a Region II climate for grape growing (similar to Bordeaux region in France). Dry Creek Valley experiences both coastal and inland influences, with the nearby coastal mountain range keeping cool marine temperatures at bay, allowing for daily temperatures in the mid-80s, July-Sept. But these mountains also provide a conduit for the coastal cold air and fog to come in at night, dramatically dropping temperatures. Long, warm days allow the fruit to fully ripen, while coastal cooling in the evening enables the grapes to mature slowly and retain their acidity and balance. These are the perfect growing conditions for Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc, the region’s signature wines, as well as Bordeaux and Rhone varietals

About the Winery

Having grown up in Vancouver and Stockton respectively, Fiona and Hal Barnett became enamored with Napa Valley through frequent visits on the weekends of the early 1980’s.  A vision began to form, and after an extensive search, they purchased a 40-acre property located atop Spring Mountain in 1983. The lot consisted of nothing but trees, rocks, shrubs, and dozens of rattlesnakes. After extensive work clearing, grading, and terracing the land, the first Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted the following year. Since the very beginning, the intent was to produce small amounts of hand crafted wines that would showcase the unique characteristics found in grapes cultivated on such challenging, high elevation terrain. 

Over the next five years, as the vines developed and the estate was established, the Barnett’s commuted from their San Francisco home. Barnett Vineyard’s first harvest was in 1989 and yielded 232 cases of “Spring Mountain Cabernet”.