2016 Blackbird Vineyards Dissonance Sauvignon Blanc 750 ml

Winemaker of the Year’s Unique Twist

Robert Parker puts superstar winemaker Aaron Pott “in the top hierarchy of Napa Valley’s most illustrious winemaking consultants.” The protégé of John Kongsgaard and Michel Rolland and former winemaker of Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Troplong Mondot and Château La Tour Figeac was also named “Winemaker of the Year” by Food & Wine Magazine. He boasts a bevy of high scores for clients like Seven Stones, Quixote and Blackbird Vineyards. In 2016, Pott crafted mesmerizing Sauvignon Blanc with pristine fruit off the illustrious Hudson Vineyards in Los Carneros. Uniquely aged in clay amphorae and 30% new French oak, coupled with lees stirring (bâtonnage) this richly textured, terrifically aromatic white, teeming with mouthwatering acidity is a real stunner. 150 cases of the 2016 Blackbird “Dissonance” Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc are up for grabs to Wine Access clients — before the critics weigh in — at $29.99 per bottle. Get it now before the reviews ignite a buying frenzy.   

If Aaron Pott makes it — our advice? Collect it. His Euro-fueled artisan’s touch dovetails rather nicely with his uncanny ability to approach each wine with the eye of a highly skilled viticulturist who can boast of a Master’s degree in Viticulture from the University de Bourgogne. Pott’s training and experience has taught him to make wines that are uniquely drinkable now, but built with the structure to last decades in the cellar.

The Bordeaux-trained Pott employs a Left-Bank approach to Blackbird Vineyard’s “Dissoance” Sauvignon Blanc by aging the wine in 30% new French Oak, but then adds a unique twist. Through judicious use of clay amphorae, he achieves a texture and acid balance that is unparalleled for most New World whites. If you’re not familiar with Blackbird Vineyards, this wine offers the perfect forray into their “bespoke collection” of wines that will assuredly astound.