2006 Herb Lamb E II White

Herb Lamb Vineyards is in St. Helena, California. It was founded by Jennifer and Herb Lamb, who in 1987 bought 7.5 acres of hillside property just below Howell Mountain. Herb is a Napa Valley native with a college degree in soil science, and Jennifer is a public relations professional who ran her own Napa tour business and worked for other wineries. Ann Colgin and her winemaker Helen Turley used grapes from Herb Lamb Vineyards for their wines in the early 1990s. Herb Lamb’s own labels started going on the wines in 1997. The estate now produces Cabernet Sauvignon for its Herb Lamb and Two Old Dogs labels. Two Old Dogs wines are made from estate grapes not destined for the premium Herb Lamb label. In 2005 the estate also planted Sauvignon Blanc.

Yountville AVA is just west of Stags Leap and north of Oak Knoll. It is centered around the town of Yountville, named for George Yountville, who planted the area’s first vineyard in 1836. The district received appellation status in 1999 and it includes 4,000 vineyard acres. It is known for tannic Cabernet Sauvignon that has a reputation for aging well. Dominus Estate, formerly Napanook Vineyard, is one of the most prestigious producers in Yountville, and in all of Napa Valley.

This crisp, dry white wine hails from France but is grown in wine regions around the world. In California, it is sometimes called Fume Blanc; while in Sauternes, it is a component of their famous dessert wines.