Maitre de Chai Sonoma Mountain Skin Ferment Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2023 Lettie Teague WSJ On Wine The whole grapes are gently

The whole grapes are gently pressed

Serve it cold but not ice cold

The 2022 is already approachable but has the structure to reward a few years in the cellar

built around strawberry

Maitre de Chai Sonoma Mountain Skin Ferment Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2023 Lettie Teague WSJ On Wine The whole grapes are gentlyThe skin contact riff on Matre de Chai's Ellison Sauvignon Blanc, drawn from the same 1969 planted Sonoma Mountain vines. A bit of time on the skins plus a touch of botrytis in 2023 pushes the wine into deeper, more aromatic territory: rose petal, orange peel, dried flowers, tangerine oil, nutmeg. Whole cluster pressed, native yeast fermented in neutral oak. Not a hard edged orange wine but a textural, perfumed white with extra grip and dimension. For