2023 Margerum ‘D’ Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc

Margerum “D” is an exploration of what can be achieved with barrel fermentation of selected lots of high-quality Sauvignon Blanc from the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA. The high mineral (low nutrient) soils of the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA automatically put these wines into a special category. Reductive winemaking, with battonage, gives the wine a mineral quality, a textured palate and an ability to age and improve for many years. D stands for the legendary Pouilly-sur-Loire Winemaker, Didier Dagueneau, who also made barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc.

This wine is crafted from picks of Sauvignon Blanc grown at McGinley Vineyard, Grassini Vineyard, Happy Canyon Vineyard and Two Wolves Vineyard. These early picks saw some skin contact and all were aged in 265 liter Ermitage “Cigar” pipes for 8 months. These barrels are uniquely elongated for added lees contact and are a combination of new, one-year old and two-year old barrels that have been used only for the “D” program.