2025 Mystery Pyrenees Sauvignon Blanc Deal No. 6216

Toni Paterson MW loved that this Sauvignon Blanc turns the varietal dials down and the interest up. That’s the whole idea of its range. It takes single grapes from quartz soils in unexpected directions. The family planted the vineyard in 1999, in a cooler pocket of the Pyrenees surrounded by state forest. It’s farmed organically, though not certified, on red-brown clay loam laced with quartz. Every row runs east to west, so the vines shade the fruit in the heat of the day. Rather than chasing grassy, pungent Sauvignon, the maker gives this wine time in older oak. Paterson scored it 95 points. She found it golden, succulent and long, with persimmon, star fruit, pear and quince. A faint hint of funk and creamy barrel notes add interest. It drinks more like a textural white than a zippy one. The maker’s own match for the previous vintage was grilled spatchcock with rosemary jus. This one has the weight to handle it just as well.