October 22, 2025
Wine Spectator + J. Lohr Sauvignon Blanc
8 Exciting California Sauvignon Blanc Values Up to 91 Points
New reviews of refreshing white wines from the 2024 vintage, including bottlings from Cliff Lede, Margerum, J. Lohr and more
Wine Spectator, October 20, 2025
Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent ratings—including scores and full tasting notes—to WineSpectator.com members. This week, our editors have been tasting California Sauvignon Blanc.
The 2024 vintage was a healthy growing season in California that led to highly anticipated wines. Heavy rains in spring allowed for bountiful water to be stored in the soil. This proved valuable as a hot start to the summer meant that the vines needed what was collected. Milder weather near harvest then facilitated even ripening for a strong finish. This week’s Tasting Highlights features eight Sauvignon Blancs from this successful vintage that are all good values.
Historic Pope Valley produced the highest scoring wine of the group with its harmonious Sauvignon Blanc Parcel 3. Winemaker and general manager Michael Coode sources grapes from throughout Napa Valley. Located near the recent Pickett Fire, Pope Valley’s facilities and vineyards were fortunately unscathed, allowing them to continue making wines on-site.
At Cliff Lede, COO Jason Lede is focusing on the company’s Napa Valley production. The winery recently acquired vines neighboring the property, increasing its estate vineyard holdings to more than 160 acres in Napa. The complex Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in a combination of oak and stainless steel and aged on its lees with a small amount of bâtonnage, resulting in an elegant and precise wine.
Sauvignon Blanc also grew wonderfully in the warm valleys of California’s Monterey County in 2024. J. Lohr’s vineyards in Arroyo Seco are in the heart of the Salinas Valley, where Jerry Lohr planted his first vines in the early 1970s. The Flume Crossing, aged in a combination of oak and stainless steel, offers a juicy core of fruit flavors with herbal accents and is an incredible value at $14.
Read the full article here.