Beginning in 2014 Bernardus has chosen to bottle only grapes from the Griva Sauvignon Blanc vineyard. Michael Griva has planted a special block of the celebrated “Musqué” clone of SB uniquely for Bernardus. It is widely recognized as the most expressive clone of Sauvignon Blanc. With its perfect combination of sandy, well-drained soils and a warm, breezy climate, Michael’s vineyard has proven to be the ideal place to grow Sauvignon Blanc. They also incorporate a small amount of Griva Semillon which provides an extra note of richness and complexity.

All of the grapes are hand-picked during many successive pickings at various ripeness levels in order to have a broad palette of flavors and acidity levels from which to create the final blend. Following a wet spring, the growing season was dry and moderate in temperature until the beginning of September. They then had a very warm period which produced a riper style of Sauvignon Blanc grapes for this year’s bottling.

The Griva Sauvignon Blanc exhibits beautiful aromas of tropical fruits with gooseberry and subtle hints of grass. The flavors are remarkably rich in texture with a very fruit-forward expression. This is one of the most appealing Griva Sauvignon Blancs yet!

They ferment the Monterey Sauvignon Blanc at low temperature in stainless steel tanks. It is then aged for several months in large, neutral, 28-year-old French oak tanks to encourage integration of flavors. We use 3 specially selected yeasts, each one adding its particular nuance and style which enhances the complexity of the final blend.

The focus of Bernardus is to create wines that flatter the palate and stimulate the imagination. Founder Ben Pon appreciated wine as an art - a form of art that transcends the ordinary. His dream with Bernardus was to make a red wine equal to the finest from Bordeaux. The story of Bernardus Winery dates back to the 1970’s when Ben Pon used to come from his home in Holland to visit the Carmel Valley area and taste its wines. He admired the wines that the few wineries in existence then produced, believing that they signified the American version of great European wines.