Frostwatch Vineyard and Winery is a relatively new label. It is owned and managed by Brett Raven and Diane Kleinecke. Their wines are based predominantly on fruit from the Frostwatch estate vineyard located in the Bennett Valley AVA. Originally planted in the mid-90’s, the 15-acre vineyard includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Zinfandel. Brett Raven makes the wines at Vinify, a Santa Rosa wine collective used by many other excellent labels including Baker Lane, Bjornstad, Bevan Cellars, Sojourn, Westerhold Family and Wren Hop.

The Bennett Valley AVA was established in December, 2003. It sits between three mountains in Sonoma County: Bennett Mountain to the north, Sonoma Mountain to the southwest and Taylor Mountain to the northwest. The Petaluma Wind Gap allows ocean breezes and morning fog to cool Bennett Valley’s vineyards throughout the growing season. That, and the altitude of the vineyards (mostly 400 - 1100 feet), makes Bennett Valley a cooler climate AVA than most nearby growing areas. For example, Bennett Valley averages 7% lower in degree day summation than Carneros. Rocky and well-drained, the Frostwatch Vineyard lies on the west side of Bennett Valley Road, due east of Matanzas Creek Reservoir. Other producers of highly-respected wines from Bennett Valley include Dry Stack Vineyards, Jemrose Wines and Westerhold Family.

I first tasted the 2010 Frostwatch Kismet at a Sonoma County meet-up held at Vinoteca, the soon-to-open tasting room of Vinify. The aromas, and then the flavors, of Kismet brought back fond memories of tasting wine in the Margaret River region of Australia. One of the specialities there is blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The same type of blend is used in white Bordeaux, but the cooler climate of Margaret River produces wines with more green fruit and grassy flavors, less peach. The Aussies also use much less oak on their blends than do the top Bordeaux producers. I bought four bottles of the Kismet.

The 2010 Frostwatch Kismet is pale lemon-green with aromas of green apple, gooseberry, lemon-lime, white flowers, grass and a touch of sweet, woody spice. The palate is bone-dry with medium-plus body. There is zesty freshness and bold flavors of lime, grass, gooseberry, limestone and green apple skin. The finish is clean and tingly. Some aromatics and flavors in this wine may remind you of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, but the Kismet is riper, richer and much less pungent. Drink it with fish and chips, crab cakes or mild Thai curry with coconut. Drink now through 2013. Recommended/Highly Recommended.

2010 Frostwatch Kismet Sauvlgnon Blanc Semillon

Rating: Recommended

Drink: Now through 2013
Retail Price: $24
Winemaker: Brett Raven
Blend: 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon
Origin: Sonoma County: Sauvignon Blanc from Frostwatch Vineyard in Bennett Valley, Semillon from Marino Vineyard in Russian River

Fermentation: whole cluster press; native yeasts; 90% stainless steel, 10% once-used French oak
Bottling date: March 31, 2011

Alcohol: 14.3%

Closure: Cork
Production: 200 cases

This wine was purchased for review.

You may also be interested in this article: 6 Wines You Need to Try from the Vinify Cooperative Tasting

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