VINEYARDS & FARMING

The cool southern third of the Russian River Valley is an ideal location to make Sauvignon Blanc. Cold nights help maintain natural acidity and the warmer days nudge grapes toward a fresh, bright expression. e Balletto estate vineyard on Hall Road lies in a low and cold valley of the Santa Rosa Plains, and these grapes are among the last white grapes we pick. e site produces expressive and distinct wine every year. Balletto Vineyards makes all of its wine from sustainably farmed estate vineyards located throughout the cool southern third of the Russian River Valley. It is one of the few Russian River wineries to be 100 percent estate grown and estate bottled, and specializes in vineyard designated Pinot Noir, Chardonnay.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY

The grapes for the Balletto Sauvignon Blanc are handpicked as soon as the green and grassy aromas have faded. e grapes are whole-cluster pressed, and the resulting juice is settled and shipped directly to neutral barrels for fermentation and ve months of aging on the lees before bottling. e wine underwent 100 percent malolactic fermentation to add weight, mellow the acidity and create a secondary layer of aromatics and texture.