Wine Enthusiast:  Rated as Excellent, extremely well made and highly recommended.  "This varietally correct Sauvignon Blanc is clean, crisp and refreshing, with plenty of honey, pineapple and green apple, and yet has some meat on its bones, with a rich mouthfeel that belies its all-stainless-steel aging. It also has just a touch (2%) of Sémillon." Mar 2011 

Winery:   "This Sauvignon Blanc has a beautiful straw color and aromas of guava, melon, gooseberry, citrus and pineapple. With crisp acidity and flavors of honeydew melon and pineapple, this wine delivers a creamy, refreshing finish."

A French emigrant, Louis Mel traveled the western United States in the 1870’s seeking a place to make wines to rival the great French Crus. He found the ideal home in the Livermore Valley. Acquiring Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon cuttings from the Marquis de Lur-Saluces, owner of the famed Chateau Y’quem, he planted them in his vineyards. The Wente family acquired the Louis Mel estate in the 1930’s, where the descendants of these vines, located in the southern Livermore Valley, live in gravel and loam soils similar to the terroir of their native Bordeaux.

Wired For Wine:  Watch out winelovers, because they're going to stampede when they see this California white going for this price!  You will want to stock up on this delightfully refreshing Wente Louis Mel Sauvignon Blanc.  Open your first crisp, clean bottle and enjoy it with garlicky tomato-white bean bruschetta, or if you're in the mood for a more classic pairing, oysters on the half shell with a tangy cocktail sauce.  The gorgeous honey and yellow fruit, perfect acidity, and yet rich, creamy finish all combine beautifully for an end result which pairs well with chicken, fish, shellfish, vegetables, salads and more.  We have yet another chilly rainy day where we are, so our choice for this Wente white is Southern fried chicken with a country potato salad.  Grilled pork tenderloing with a rhubarb-ginger sauce will bring out the fruit and honey in this Louis Mel nicely.  We also love this California Sauvignon Blanc with sauteed mahi-mahi and a fresh cilantro chutney.  Hopefully you've had another bottle or two languishing on ice during your meal.  Open another delicious bottle and refill the glasses to go with your favorite chevre cheese.  When can we start?!

Size:  750ml, cork
Varietal:  98% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Sémillon
Alcohol:  13.5%
Region:   Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay, California