2011 Sheldon Wines, Vinolocity Blanc, Sonoma Coast.
This wonderful white is one of my favorite wines, and this 2011 vintage is a stunner with intensity and vibrancy to go with exotic fruit layers and texture. This wine tends to be the sleeper in the lineup of wines made by Dylan and Tobe Sheldon at their “Micro-Winery” in Santa Rosa, but it just might be their top wine, even though I adore the Anderson Valley Pinot and their signature Grenache wines. The Vinolocity Blanc is made up of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier and is inspired by Chateauneuf-du-Pape whites, like Beaucastel, though it is truly a American artisan white with it’s own style and character. The nose has plenty of compelling allure with mineral tones, citrus fruit and blossoms, ginger snap and orange zest leading to a palate of cool stones, peach pit, apricot, tangerine and melon. There is a hint of pepper and salted butterscotch and with air the wine really fills out and offers dense richness in the mouth, but still lively and refreshing. This is a wine that is always changing moment to moment and it should evolve in beautiful ways over the next few years, and I look forward to following it if I can manage to save a few bottles.
($30 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive
