Wine of the Week: Pedroncelli, 2019 East Side Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon blanc is often made in either a grassy or tropical style. But Montse Reece knows when it comes to this varietal, the sum is greater than its parts.

“The style of sauvignon blanc I shoot for is what I call the best of both worlds,” said Reece, winemaker of Geyserville’s Pedroncelli Winery.

“I use grapes with a higher concentration of tropical flavors and grapes more on the grassy, herbaceous side. The combination of both makes the sauvignon blanc style I like.”

The brainchild of the blend is behind our wine of the week winner - the Pedroncelli, 2019 East Side Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc at $17. This is a well-crafted, budget sauvignon blanc that really delivers.

It has tangy fruit and it’s layered with notes of green apple, lime and pineapple. Balanced, it has bright acid and finishes crisp. It’s a steal for the quality.

Reece said the wine does well in the marketplace, despite fierce competition, because it stays true to its style, it’s affordable and it’s food-friendly.

The biggest challenge in making this varietal is the rush to the finish line.

“I want to keep the wine fresh and as high on aromatics as I can, so making it has to be a quick process compared with other wines I make,” Reece said.

“I do a cool fermentation so I don’t lose any varietal flavors and aromas,” she said. “After that I try to bottle this wine as soon as possible, to preserve its fresh flavors.”

Reece’s delight in making sauvignon blanc outweighs the challenge.

“Sauvignon blanc always has been my favorite white wine so making it is just an extension of my passion for this grape,” Reece said. “I really enjoy making it year after year.”

Reece said becoming a winemaker was a natural fit.

“I’m originally from Catalonia, Spain,” she said. “I grew up in a culture where wine is part of daily life, and that’s where I learned to appreciate it. I was raised with the vinicultural areas of Priorat, Penedes and Montsant nearby.”

Making wine is an art, a craft, the winemaker said, but it’s also a science.

“You need to be passionate about what you are making,” she said, “but also you need to know why everything happens scientifically.”

Reece, 47, studied at Tarragona’s Rovira i Virgili University, which offered its first degree in enology just as she graduated from high school.

Third generation owner Julie Pedroncelli St. John said Reece is a great addition to the winery because she overdelivers, just like their budget wines.

“It is a core value of my family to offer wines at a reasonable price so they can be enjoyed every day rather than a special occasion,” St. John said. “We have owned the land for 92 years, and it affords us the opportunity to provide this great value.”

You can reach Wine Writer Peg Melnik at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5310.