2014 Poe Wines, Blanc de Blanc, Manchester Ridge, Mendocino County.
Mostly known for her alluring Pinot Noir(s) and Chardonnay wines, Samantha Sheehan should not overlooked for her brilliant Sparklers, which are single vineyard expression that are similar to some fantastic grower fizz and she is one of handful of high quality producers doing top notch bubbly, with Carachioli Cellars and Michael Cruse, who does the cult Ultramarine, coming to mind. Sheehan founded Poe Wines in 2009 after being inspired by the wines she tasted in Burgundy and Champagne and has been a rising talent ever since with her 100% single vineyard set of bubbly being exceptional offerings, especially this 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc from Manchester Ridge. Manchester Ridge, set on soil that is highly eroded chalky sandstone, sits at a 2,000 foot elevation above Anderson Valley, in the remote Mendocino area, and as Sheehan notes, Tthe vineyard is 400 feet above the fog line, so it gets great exposures, but is extremely cool and allows for a long hang time, which gives added concentration, complexity and flavor development as well as keeping dynamic acidity to make an outstanding series of wines, and clearly makes, as Samantha adds, for high class juice, which sure is the case in this beautiful Blanc de Blanc.
This 2014 Poe Wines Blanc de Blanc is vibrant and elegant, but fills the palate with leesy richness and impressive depth, this 100% Chardonnay really delivers the luxurious impact that you’d expect of a great grower fizz reminding me of the fine examples by Pierre Peters and Laherte Freres! There is pleasing layers of lemon, peach, golden fig, clove, nutmeg, brioche, hazelnut and delicate floral and mineral tones. The body builds in the glass, while the Poe Blanc de Blanc stays vividly transparent and the mousse is fine and lifting with gorgeous small bubbles, creamy mouth feel and energetic beading in the glass. Sheehan picked the Chardonnay at Manchester Ridge on September 2nd, 2014 with loads of racy acidity, and It was fermented in neutral oak barrels without sulfur and with native or indigenous yeasts only. The Chardonnay was then aged in the same barrels for 16 months, before being bottled for sparkling fermentation where it spent a full 3 and a half years on the lees, and was disgorged in April of 2019, all of has given this gorgeous stuff incredible depth and layering. Poe’s sparklers, her Rosé, which I reviewed here recently and this Blanc de Blanc are class acts, I highly recommend getting them for the holidays!
($50 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive