Sauvignon Blanc is widely grown throughout France, where winemakers tend to make wines that have an elegant, sophisticated profile including aromas and flavors of lemon lime, passion fruit, grapefruit, freshly baked bread, peach, and vanilla. The grape has truly found its spiritual home in New Zealand, where winemakers generally make cheap and cheery versions sporting aromas and flavors of cut grass, green herbs, green apple, and melon. Thankfully, soil typicity and climate in the Napa Valley allow winemakers to make wine from Sauvignon Blanc grapes similar to their colleagues in France, with more refined, complex, and restrained profiles. The price tags of Napa SBs also come closer to what wine lovers shell out for a fine Sancerre from a renowned producer, but we think they’re worth every penny. Here are seven we’re enjoying right now.
Lail 2025 Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley California
We were recently at Auction Napa Valley with winemaker and vintner Robin Daniel Lail. She is a true force of nature in the valley and was honored this year for her contributions in front of a crowd of 400 people at Inglenook Winery. Her father, John Daniel Jr., was the owner of Inglenook from 1936 until it was sold in 1964, and Daniel Lail has been following the family tradition of creating quality wines from grapes grown in Napa Valley for decades. Her 2025 Blueprint has aromas of lemon peel, green apple, pink grapefruit, and lemon zest, with flavors of Delicious apple, mandarin, tangerine, and lemon blossom. There’s powerful minerality with a bright burst of delightful acidity in the finish.
Arkenstone 2022 Howell Mountain Sauvignon Blanc Howell Mountain Napa Valley California
Named for the Arkenstone, a fictional gem that is also known as the Heart of the Mountain in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, this beautiful underground winery was founded by Ron and Susan Krausz and completed in 2008. The Sauvignon Blanc vines on the estate were planted in 1997 and are positioned on steep, very rocky blocks of land on Howell Mountain. This bottle, the 2022 Howell Mountain Sauvignon Blanc, is a blend of 93 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 7 percent Semillon. It introduces itself with aromas of pink grapefruit, lemon rind, and wet river rocks that transition to full-bodied heft on the palate with flavors of pineapple, passionfruit, and lemon curd.
Groth Oakville Estate 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Oakville Napa Valley California
Groth remains 100 percent family owned and operated since Dennis and Judy Groth founded their eponymous winery in 1981. They are widely credited for making the first Robert Parker 100-point wine in Napa Valley before Oakville was designated as an American Viticultural Area. The current team consists of Dennis, Judy, Suzanne Groth, and D. Andrew Groth. Their 2024 Sauvignon Blanc is composed of 89 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 11 percent Semillon and has aromas of orange peel, peach, and a whiff of Bartlett pear. It is crisp and bright with flavors of preserved lemon, Fuji apple, and freshly cut apricot.
Cade 2025 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley California
Part of the PlumpJack portfolio, Cade Estate comprises more than 50 acres of land in the center of the Howell Mountain AVA. For the 2025 vintage, 47 percent of the grapes came from estate vineyards, and the balance came from four other properties in Oak Knoll, St. Helena, and Calistoga. It is a blend of 86 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 12 percent Sauvignon Musqué, 1 percent Viognier, and 1 percent Semillon. Straw colored in the glass, this wine has aromas of white flowers, green apple, honeydew melon, and lemon. Bright acidity in the midpalate supports flavors of lemon meringue, jasmine, and red grapefruit pith.
Grgich Hills Estate 2023 Essence Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley California
We were recently seated next to Violet Grgich, daughter of legendary winemaker Mike Grgich, at a dinner to raise awareness for children suffering from extremely rare diseases. While the purpose of the event was very serious, we were able to share a fun evening and a few glasses of wine learning more about her, her dad, and the fine wines made at Grgich Hills Estate. We were particularly impressed with the 2023 Essence Sauvignon Blanc. It offers ethereal aromas of lemon peel, lime, candied ginger, and finely ground white pepper and flavors of dried Mediterranean herbs, citrus blossom, and grapefruit pith.
Cliff Lede 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley California
Cliff Lede founded his namesake winery in 2002, purchasing 60 acres of land in the Stags Leap District AVA. He began replanting relatively soon after and named each plot after his favorite rock albums, including Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and The Who’s My Generation. His son Jason has joined the family business as GM and COO and can also be found DJing at some of Napa Valley’s best parties. Their 2024 Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of lemon-lime, orange peel, and white flowers. A blend of 77 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 23 percent Semillon, it has flavors of pink grapefruit, pear, and white peach.
Eisele Vineyard 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley California
The Eisele Vineyard was first planted with vines in the 1880s, but the debut release bearing the Eisele name came about in 1971. The vineyard has been farmed organically since 1998 and biodynamically since 2000. The 2023 release is absolutely stunning, and it is one of our absolute favorite Napa Valley Sauvignon Blancs. With aromas of caramelized orange peel, lemongrass, pink grapefruit, sea air, and vanilla, it is full-bodied and juicy with flavors of ripe pear, honeysuckle, lychee, beeswax, and brown baking spices.
