We pretty much gushed when we first discovered the wines of Bibiana González Rave Pisoni. We could repeat her saga of making wine on three continents before she finally settled in the Golden State. She has many irons in the fire this days and we can say that have never had a wine from her, in whatever price range it was, that wasn’t top flight.
In a few words, ‘this girl is on fire’, making a style that is deeply expressive, full flavored, energetic and precise. Now granted, that would seem to be expected of the many of her wines that are in the $70-80 price range, though they do excel in that arena vis-a-vis the competition. But what we find most enticing, in line with our philosophy of seeking out the ‘little’ wines from the top talents, is her value-driven Alma de Cattleya line. We have been particularly enamored with the Sauvignon Blanc which, at $16.98, is arguably the best buy among California Sauv. Blancs.
Her just released Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County 2018 is, once again, a well put together, vigorously expressive mouthful of lime, guava, pear, fig, and fresh herbs. The fruit ‘pops’ up front and expands across the palate, but the tension and acidity keep it humming right through the finish. It is an attention-getting and beautifully fresh example of the breed.
The only potential problem with the wine is that it is made to be the best Sauv. Blanc it can be and true to type. That probably means it will likely not get its due when judged in some 100 example mega-tasting the media often conducts which favors blowsier and more idiosyncratic efforts because they stand out in a crowd.
But one-on-one, this is a little value gem. It’s in a straight up, juicy style with impressive purity, plus that insistent underlying hum that differentiates it from the rank and file of the genre. This is the ‘hot ticket’ among go-to Sauvignon Blancs. Even though we can’t necessarily expect big ‘numbers’, knowledgeable insiders are snapping it up quickly.