Another epic Fichots from Girard. Deep deep mid to late season cherry and glorious spice. Wow the fruit in 22 is so aromatically expressive at the moment. Just gorgeous. Stunning palate with deep deep fruit but also those fierce Fichot tannins. Juicy, silky and sweet but structured and epic. Wow the tannins. This needs mega air but this is a monumental Fichots. Tasting today and still a beast but has that absurd 22 fruit. I’d wait a decade at least. — 5 months ago
Really nice St. Emilion satellite wine. After 30 min the palate is ripe with red and black fruit and vegetation. The tannic bite on the back end is soft and smooth. Great QPR — 8 months ago
Super delicious, enjoyed this one being that my fiancé and I are big southern Rhône style wine lovers as well as other classical French wine enjoyers. — 4 years ago
Always excellent. Young but beautiful with an hour of air — 7 months ago
easy, smooth. lacks the fruity acids that i love but decent blend. — 8 months ago
Moraga Bel Air – Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2016
Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA 🇺🇸
Overview
A luminous 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Los Angeles’ hidden hillside vineyard. Still youthful at nearly a decade, it shows the structure and balance that suggests it can comfortably evolve for another 10 years, rare for the varietal.
Aromas & Flavors
Fresh citrus zest, white peach, and green apple interlace with waxy honeysuckle, and a faint nutty undertone. It almost evokes Semillon in its depth, yet it’s purely Sauvignon Blanc showing its layered side.
Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, polished, and rounded with bright acidity that lifts a textured, almost creamy mid-palate. The finish is long, citrus-driven, and delicately mineral.
Food Pairings
An excellent partner for sushi, seared scallops, lemon-herb chicken, or aged goat cheese. Its evolving structure would also hold up well against richer shellfish dishes like lobster.
Verdict
Elegant, refined, and deceptively age-worthy. Moraga’s Sauvignon Blanc continues to surprise with its longevity and complexity, this 2016 will only grow more profound with time.
Did You Know?
Moraga Bel Air is one of the only commercial vineyards within the city of Los Angeles, planted on ancient seabed soils just a few miles from Hollywood. Its whites and reds have quietly earned cult status among insiders.
🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This one floored me, it’s Sauvignon Blanc but whispers like Semillon, with grace, depth, and staying power. Proof that LA can make world-class, cellar-worthy whites. — a day ago
I love what Girard does with this cuvée. Gorgeous nose of sour cherries, wet moss, flowers and mid season perfectly ripe cherries. Little earthy, feral vibe as well on the nose. So Savigny. Palate feels so alive and has terrific fruit and texture. Sweet, silky, gritty and feral all at the same time and has that stunning balance that is a signature of the 23’s from Girard. The best vintage here since 19. So fresh and sappy with great acids and remarkably sweet and velvety tannins. Let’s see what air does but man this is good on the pop and pour. Long, chewy finish. The energy here is top notch. Love the mid palate opulence here. — 6 months ago
JKT
Balance and soft textures thirty years! Say ten years after acquiring from JR whose email says matriarch passing freed up this library holding back then. — 17 days ago