The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Journey is powerful, deep and resonant, all qualities that should allow it to develop nicely with time in bottle. Smoke, slate, pear, anise and dried flowers all flesh out in this decidedly authoritative, incisive Sauvignon. Fermentation and aging in barrel gives the wine quite a bit of added power and texture.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench is the richest and most powerful of these Sauvignon Blancs from Matanzas Creek. Textured and inviting, with striking complexity throughout, the 2016 is distinguished by its mid-palate resonance and exceptional balance. Hints of melon, pear, smoke, apple and jasmine add the closing shades of nuance.

The 2015 Sauvignon Blanc is laced with the essence of white orchard fruit, sage, tomato leaf, mint and white flowers. There is plenty of varietal character, but fruit intensity and structure take precedence over greener, grassier notes. This is a rare Sauvignon that has the depth to stand up to fairly hearty foods.

The 2015 Sauvignon Blanc (Bennett Valley) is beautifully layered and creamy, yet also light on its feet. Lemon peel, mint, white pepper and a host of savory notes give the wine its distinctive personality. This is very nicely done, not to mention absolutely delicious.

The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc is hugely inviting, with a gorgeous combination of varietal notes and textural richness. Melon, grapefruit, white flowers and mint are all given an extra level of perfume with the addition of 10% Semillon. Drink this expressive Sauvignon Blanc over the next few years.

Matanzas Creek, a pioneering Sonoma County winery founded in 1977, produces five different and distinctive Sauvignon Blanc, each reflecting the origin of the grapes. You can practically taste and feel the volcanic soil in this Helena Bench bottling, which gives the wine individuality rarely found with this variety in California. The edgy quality characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc is apparent, but not overwhelming. Overall, the Helena Bench bottling has a larger profile than the one from Bennett Valley, but is still impeccably balanced. I suggest that those of you who remain skeptical about the idea concept of terroir try these two Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc side-by-side. Not only will you be convinced, you'll have a difficult job decided which of them you prefer.

The 2012 Journey Sauvignon Blanc (500 cases produced) comes from the three appellations of Knights Valley, Alexander Valley and Bennett Valley. This intense Sauvignon exhibits copious aromas of citrus oil, honeyed grapefruit, figs and melons. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, pure and rich, this cuvee was completely fermented and aged in stainless steel and neutral wood. Consume it over the next 2-3 years.

The Bennett Valley (this is the microclimate where the winery is located) Sauvignon is crafted in the style of Bordeaux blanc, with a richness and mouthfeel that is absent in most Sauvignon from either New Zealand or the Loire Valley. With complex aromas of pear, peach, tropical fruits and citrus, this is the thinking man's Sauvignon Blanc that would be equally satisfying as an aperitif or as a match for grilled fish or mild cheeses.

Juicy and lush with pure, tangy citrus and lively acidity; balanced, fresh and complete with a long, expressive finish; complex and lovely.

This grows on an old riverbed of sand and gravel at the base of Mount St. Helena, where sauvignon ripens to bosky green apple scents and cool, tropical notes of papaya. It's a substantive white enriched by a bit of sauvignon musqué as well as lees aging, its toastiness restrained by tight, fresh fruit.

This grows on an old riverbed of sand and gravel at the base of Mount St. Helena, where sauvignon ripens to bosky green apple scents and cool, tropical notes of papaya. It's a substantive white enriched by a bit of sauvignon musque as well as lees aging, its toastiness restrained by tight, fresh fruit. For roast sturgeon or other meaty fish.

Matanzas has created a California Sauvignon Blanc with personality and class. French-born winemaker Francois Cordesse blended 21% of the juice in fine-grained French oak barrels and the remainder in stainless steel tanks then aged the final blend for three months in French oak. The result is a perfumed nose showing slightly muted signs of citrus zest, mineral and underlying spicy muscat. The complex flavors reflect the aromatics, with added pepper and toasted oak. Smooth and rounded, this tasteful wine finishes with class and plenty of fruit and no heat despite the 13.5% alcohol.

The 2017s From Sonoma Impressive notes of smoked earth/charcoal, pineapple, and apple blossom emerge from the 2017 Chardonnay Kelli Ann Vineyard. It’s a medium to full-bodied, rounded, supple effort that has plenty of sweet fruit, a big texture, and no hard edges. This is a beautiful, pleasure-bent Chardonnay to drink over the coming 2-3 years.

The 2017s From Sonoma The 2017 Chardonnay Bennett Valley is another charmer that delivers incredible quality. Notes of citrus, melon, white flowers, and a chalky minerality all give way to a beautifully balanced, medium-bodied, layered Chardonnay that has good acidity as well as purity of fruit. Brought up in 22% new French oak, it’s another beauty from winemaker Marcia Torres Fornon that’s ideal for drinking over the coming 2-3 years.

Creamy vanilla and smoky oak flavors shade the mix of pear, fig, apricot and melon notes in this white, making for a complex, layered effort that's deep and persistent.

Creamy vanilla and smoky, oaky flavors shade the mix of pear, fig, apricot and melon notes, making for a complex, layered effort that's deep and persistent.

For my palate this bright, light Chardonnay has all the right elements. It offers a medium body and the merest tweak of vanilla. The nuanced flavors of fresh-baked bread, bright citrus and apple fruit, plus an undercurrent of stone-minerality are a delight. Aromatically pleasing, it can boast both delicacy and muscle -- as a good Chardonnay should.

Matanzas Creek has always been a star producer of Chardonnay.  They continue their reputation with this one.  They manage to deliver satisfying concentration without wandering into the “in your face” character.   Restrained, but not silent, this Chardonnay speaks to you without shouting.  And the words are memorable.  Its energy makes you glad it continues to speak throughout the meal.  The price is not boisterous either, which helps.

Journey's 2015 Chardonnay is sourced entirely from Jackson's Alexander Mountain Estate. Deep, rich and pliant on the palate, the 2015 possesses striking richness and texture, not to mention terrific overall balance. Yellow orchard fruit, butter, mint, peach, matchstick and French oak infuse this deeply expressive Chardonnay. Beams of underlying minerality lend energy to the finish.

The 2015 Chardonnay, which comes from the Matanzas Creek and Alexander Valley estate vineyards, is primarily from the fragrant Musqué clone and the rest Wente. Aged 50% in new French oak and fermented with indigenous yeast, it spent only ten months in barrel prior to being bottled. Offering notes of honeysuckle, poached pear, peach and some lemon custard, this wine is delicate yet intense, medium to full-bodied, layered, pure and authoritative. Drink it over the next 5-6 years.

Rich, elegant style; creamy and densely textured; long and complex with depth, finesse and lift.

Honey, apricots, chamomile, tangerine, butter and spices all flesh out in the 2012 Chardonnay Bennett Valley. Tropical notes develop in the glass, adding viscosity, richness and volume, all of which works to balance the cool micro-climate in this Bennett Valley site. This is a terrific showing from Matanzas Creek and winemaker Marcia Monahan.

The winery held this Chardonnay back a year later than their far more expensive Journey bottling. Hard to say why, but the consumer is the beneficiary. That extra bit of aging has mellowed the wine, giving it a creamy, buttery richness. It has good acidity, too, that gives a lift to the ripe tropical fruits.

Bright yellow-gold. A highly aromatic, complex bouquet evokes fresh citrus and tropical fruits, white flowers, candied ginger and vanilla, with a strong mineral overtone. Deeply pitched and concentrated but impressively lithe, offering sharply focused lemon curd and pear flavors that put on weight with air. Finishes with impressive energy and cut, leaving mineral and lime notes behind.

The 2010 Chardonnay Journey is a gorgeous, beautifully balanced wine. Layers of apricot, tropical fruit, spices and French oak emerge from this striking, pure Chardonnay. All of the elements are beautifully balanced through to the creamy, expressive finish. The Journey Chardonnay is a selection of the best barrels at Matanzas Creek. The wine was fermented and aged in French oak barrels, 50% new. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.