2013 Sanguis Beekeeper

I had the opportunity to taste some back vintages at Sanguis, including the 2013 Beekeeper, a blend of Chardonnay, Marsanne and a splash of Viognier, barrel fermented and with frequent lees stirring. "White wines in the new world are considered sort of second-rate citizens," winemaker Matthias Pippig explains. "Growers often triple the yields for whites versus reds, and there’s a lot of simple, 'cash flow' whites being made. But I think we totally don’t give the wines the opportunity to be what they could be. I’ve had enough old Austrian Grüner, Chablis, etc. to realize that, if made right, these wines can age 25 years. That’s what I want." It's certainly gotten better with time in bottle, with a wonderfully open nose scented of honeycomb, baked yellow apple, quince paste, marmalade and exotic spices with accents of saline, crushed shell, lime peel and elderflower. Medium to full-bodied and broad in the mouth, if offers gorgeous floral and honey-accented fruits with a great streak of minerality, supported by great freshness and finishing very long, concentrated, energetic and textured.