Orin Swift Cellars Orin Swift Cellars Blank Stare 2025 750ml

A powerful, almost pungent white that offers strong, peppery aromas and vivid, racy flavors on a full body. White pepper, grilled herbs and crushed rocks in the aroma, then bold grapefruit, lemongrass and gooseberry flavors. Stands out from the pack. Drink now.

Sourced from Gallo's Laguna Ranch property in the Russian River Valley, Orin Swift's 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Blank Stare is really ripe, even vaguely tropical in style, with notes of fig, melon and guava—it's barely herbal at all—on the nose. Thirty percent of the total volume was barrel-fermented, with half of that in new wood, while the other 70% was made in stainless steel tanks. The result is medium- to full-bodied and slightly silky but more on the crisp, citrusy side of the spectrum, with pleasing length to the finish. (Joe Czerwinski)