Sauvignon Blanc is our ride or die. It somehow makes most food taste better, but it is seldom the star of the show. If you have a love for Sauvignon Blanc, the chances are you keep it to yourself. It doesnāt demand attention the way some grape varietals do ā ātaste me and nothing else." Rather its flavors can satisfy with tropical notes when drinking it alone or fall back to soft velvets while you eat your favorite meal. This wine is a soulful chameleon. Constantly changing to blend into the environment, yet if you take the time to noticeā¦ a stand-alone superior to most others.
Winery Notes
āLike words, wine can convey many meanings, inspire endless stories and trigger unique opinions. But our message is simple . . . Enjoy this wine for what it is, an authentic expression of the land that grew it and the hands that have touched it.ā
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol: 13.5%
RS: 4.3g/L
pH: 3.35
Whatās Included
4-bottles:
4x 2018 The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County
Case:
12x 2018 The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County
It started 20 years ago with an opportunity to work for a craft brewer in Western Australia. Showing up in Australia with a degree from the University of California, a good work ethic and a ācan doā spirit was the perfect combination of right place-right time. After three years down under, Kat moved back to the US and her husband, Australian Rob McDonald quickly followed.
They founded Old Bridge Cellars and began importing the legendary Australian wines they both lovedā¦dāArenberg, Jasper Hill, Yarra Yaring, Leeuwin Estate. Along the way, Kat took a break and went to law school, they planted vineyards in both Australia and the Napa Valley and began making their own wines including the eponymous named Mak.
In 2008, they founded Art+Farm Wine in Napa. Art+Farm is home to their single vineyard wines the girls in the vineyard, their outrageous blends-The Messenger and their true varietals: Circadia.
Kat and Rob live in Napa with their two children and an odd looking creature that is supposed to be a dog. Kat is a little obsessed with her heritage breed chickens and the eggs they lay and also her bees. Rob is obsessed with compost and growing the perfect tomato. Both are huge proponents of dry farming and see water as the single biggest factor in the future of agriculture.
Available States
CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, WA, WI
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018 The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc - $110 = 52.37%
As posted but the case discount is unusually large, making me think that the smaller allotment is supposed to be 6 bottles for $69.99, not 4 bottles. We shall seeā¦
@bdb@chipgreen I hope itās a mistake. Do I need 12 more bottles of SvB? Would I like fewer bottles at a modestly higher price? No and Yes, respectively, but not at that unreasonable markup of 110%.
@bdb@chipgreen@stolicat Yeah this is the oddest pricing Iāve seen and maybe it will be cleared-up today. But even at 6 btls, I would probably still pay the extra to go for the 12. It would still be a much better deal and I have some people to share with. One good Rat or a winemaker comment may put me over the edgeā¦
@bdb@chipgreen@pmarin@stolicat
And on the off chance that the 4 bottle quantity and price are correct and the 12 bottle price was supposed to be higher, I placed my case order early.
Cellartracker, which is my go to starting point to research wine offers states that the 2018 āThe Messengerā Sauvignon Blanc is from Napa Valley, however the offer says Lake County. Which is it? It does make a difference in my willingness to make a purchase of a low-priced SB. Thank you! Dr. 1/2-Eel.
@HALFEEL I think itās an error in what someone typed into Cellartracker to add the wine; the address of Art+Farm IS in Napa. But the wine on their website is listed as this:
100% fresh, aromatic, unburdened by oak, 2018
Lake County Sauvignon Blanc from the ancient, river flat vineyards around
Kelseyville.
It actually sounds pretty good at the case price. Though I donāt need a case of Sauv Blanc, or maybe I do?
@HALFEEL Hi! yes, it seems as though someone made a mistake on Cellartracker. We are in Napa, but these grapes were grown in Lake County. The higher temperatures in Lake County lead to more tropical fruit flavors in this Sauvignon Blanc
@pseudogourmet98 Funny I just found some Jana SB this week and yes thatās a style I really like as well. I kind-of think this would be similar. Honestly Iāve never met a Lake County Sauv Blanc I didnāt like.
Also really like the WA state ones. Recently found a deal at a local store on the Chateau Ste Michelle Sauv Blanc Horse Heaven Vineyard 2018. This is their higher-end one they have a lower line which isnāt bad but this single-vineyard one is quite nice.
Thanks again for the opportunity to rat!
Ratting The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc.
My wife was excited for this one as sav blanc is her drink of choice if there are no bubbles available. Myself, I can have a glass, but then have to typically move on.
Served chilled from the fridge
Color, very pale yellow, almost translucent
Nose, tropical fruit
A slight coating of the mouth.
First taste you get peach, stone fruit. Hits the tip of your tongue with sweetness but also makes the sides curl.
My wife was not a huge fan as she likes a more āgravelyā or grassy Sav Blanc and this is not. I continued the tasting.
Tried it with a variety of cheeses. Went well with a creamy goat, but fell apart with a Gorgonzola. With the planned meal of chicken satay, more sweetness was brought out. As it warmed the taste did not change much as all.
All and all I would say it is a typical Lake County Sav Blanc, as we donāt usually lean that way we are passing.
Thanks for the opportunity!
@jshaver Thank you for the report - any chance that you had the Jana SB that was mentioned earlier in this thread? Had that oneā¦loved it (wish it would show up again!). Wondering if this would be a suitable substituteā¦
I come to you as a baby rat this morning. Iām not going to lie, Iām not very good at tasting wine. I mostly just drink cheap moscato because itās tasty and gets the job done.
But! Here I am, trying my best!
First impression of this wine was a little unsure. I was worried it would have an overpowering alcohol taste.
But I was pleasantly surprised! My first sip was nice and mellow. It gives a little fruity aftertaste that doesnāt linger. Itās nice, crisp, and actually a little refreshing. I feel like this is a wine you could enjoy with just about anything, since itās not overpowering.
The color is a nice pale yellow, and it has a screw top so donāt worry about finding a corkscrew. (I know I had a hard time finding mine, just to find out I didnāt need it.)
And, I know no one asked, but I think the label looks nice as well! Itās clean and minimal without the label looking just empty. Itās looking quite nice on my counter. I enjoy some well done minimalism.
For my first wine tasting, Iād say I enjoyed it! I made it through a few glasses just ātasting itā, if thatās saying anything.
@SpoopySkeleton Thanks for very good first Rat Report! I found it helpful and seems to be confirming what Iād expect (and hope for) in a wine like this. And yes I like the screw-caps too!
@SpoopySkeleton Nice first Rat Report! Thanks for giving our Sauvignon Blanc a taste and Iām glad you liked it! We worked long and hard with the artist to make the label, so itās also nice to hear that you enjoy it.
Color: Light and fresh
Body: Delicate
Texture: Soft velvet
Vintage: 2018
Alc/ Vol: 13.5%
Varieties:100% Sauvignon Blanc
RS: 4.3g/L
pH: 3.35
For me, the tropical fruit notes hit first, especially on the nose followed by crisp ripe summer peaches. When you drink it alone, itās crisp and refreshing with a balanced acidity that makes you want more. It pairs well with almost anything as the flavor softens and bends. My favorite is to pair it with spicy Thai or Indian food.
Iāve got this wine before (from the winery) and liked it very much, and I agree with the above, love the packaging as well. But whatās in the bottle was an all-around good SB porch-pounder and easy on the palate.
@ArtFarmWine@losthighwayz RS and pH pls, and your comments on the wine in general would be great. Can you do so here and also above on the other post! thx!
The RS was just over 4g/L and the pH 3.35
For me, the tropical fruit notes hit first, especially on the nose followed by crisp ripe summer peaches. When you drink it alone, itās crisp and refreshing with a balanced acidity that makes you want more. It pairs well with almost anything as the flavor softens and bends. My favorite is to pair it with spicy Thai or Indian food.
@ArtFarmWine@losthighwayz@tastebud Well looks like the AntFarm didnāt come back to answer, but I remember the "RS / sweetness coming up before). Remember that g/L is not the same as %RS. Roughly 1/10 as much.
This article I found (I think I dug up same thing from a search a few months ago) says that <9g/L is ādry.ā And above that is off-dry, to sweet, etc. So at 4g/L itās in the middle of the ādryā band.
Not having tasted it, Iām not sure if itās the ābone-dryā style. The descriptions, including from the winery itself, seem to imply a more full balanced flavor (and people who want a bone-dry SB may not prefer). But I donāt think thereās any report of a noticeable āsweetā characteristic.
I think some of our winemaker friends here from other places have mentioned how the acidity relates to the perception of āsweetnessā so a wine like this might have some RS and still not be tasted as āsweetā at all.
@ArtFarmWine@pmarin@tastebud I was thinking the same regarding the relationship between g/L and Ph. Ph at 3.3 seems racing and may balance the sweetness but what do I know! Lol
In my opinion this is not on the sweet side, but with those tropical and stone fruit flavors some might call it sweet. Itās a relatively dry Sauvignon Blanc with a high enough acidity to delightfully balance any sweetness.
2018 The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes
Winery Notes
Specs
Whatās Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$240/Case at Art + Farm Wine for 12x 2018 The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County
Not for sale online, $360/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, WA, WI
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Nov 29 - Monday, Dec 6
The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc
4 bottles for $69.99 $17.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $99.99 $8.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018 The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc - $110 = 52.37%
As posted but the case discount is unusually large, making me think that the smaller allotment is supposed to be 6 bottles for $69.99, not 4 bottles. We shall seeā¦
@chipgreen I was amazed at the price difference as well. I like your theory about six versus four.
@bdb @chipgreen I hope itās a mistake. Do I need 12 more bottles of SvB? Would I like fewer bottles at a modestly higher price? No and Yes, respectively, but not at that unreasonable markup of 110%.
@bdb @chipgreen @stolicat Yeah this is the oddest pricing Iāve seen and maybe it will be cleared-up today. But even at 6 btls, I would probably still pay the extra to go for the 12. It would still be a much better deal and I have some people to share with. One good Rat or a winemaker comment may put me over the edgeā¦
@bdb @chipgreen @pmarin @stolicat
And on the off chance that the 4 bottle quantity and price are correct and the 12 bottle price was supposed to be higher, I placed my case order early.
I am still waiting on a lab rat report. Tentatively thinking I would like six bottles.
If I do like the lab rat reports, anyone want to split a case near Boston? I am near the corner of 9 and 128.
Cellartracker, which is my go to starting point to research wine offers states that the 2018 āThe Messengerā Sauvignon Blanc is from Napa Valley, however the offer says Lake County. Which is it? It does make a difference in my willingness to make a purchase of a low-priced SB. Thank you! Dr. 1/2-Eel.
@HALFEEL I think itās an error in what someone typed into Cellartracker to add the wine; the address of Art+Farm IS in Napa. But the wine on their website is listed as this:
It actually sounds pretty good at the case price. Though I donāt need a case of Sauv Blanc, or maybe I do?
@HALFEEL Hi! yes, it seems as though someone made a mistake on Cellartracker. We are in Napa, but these grapes were grown in Lake County. The higher temperatures in Lake County lead to more tropical fruit flavors in this Sauvignon Blanc
/giphy eerie-comical-wish
Hoping for rats. I love a certain style of SB, but if itās āgrassyā, Iāll pass. Loved the Jana SB we got in 2020!
@pseudogourmet98 Funny I just found some Jana SB this week and yes thatās a style I really like as well. I kind-of think this would be similar. Honestly Iāve never met a Lake County Sauv Blanc I didnāt like.
Also really like the WA state ones. Recently found a deal at a local store on the Chateau Ste Michelle Sauv Blanc Horse Heaven Vineyard 2018. This is their higher-end one they have a lower line which isnāt bad but this single-vineyard one is quite nice.
Thanks again for the opportunity to rat!
Ratting The Messenger Sauvignon Blanc.
My wife was excited for this one as sav blanc is her drink of choice if there are no bubbles available. Myself, I can have a glass, but then have to typically move on.
Served chilled from the fridge
Color, very pale yellow, almost translucent
Nose, tropical fruit
A slight coating of the mouth.
First taste you get peach, stone fruit. Hits the tip of your tongue with sweetness but also makes the sides curl.
My wife was not a huge fan as she likes a more āgravelyā or grassy Sav Blanc and this is not. I continued the tasting.
Tried it with a variety of cheeses. Went well with a creamy goat, but fell apart with a Gorgonzola. With the planned meal of chicken satay, more sweetness was brought out. As it warmed the taste did not change much as all.
All and all I would say it is a typical Lake County Sav Blanc, as we donāt usually lean that way we are passing.
Thanks for the opportunity!
@jshaver
Thanks for the report. And with that, Iām in!
@jshaver Thank you for the report - any chance that you had the Jana SB that was mentioned earlier in this thread? Had that oneā¦loved it (wish it would show up again!). Wondering if this would be a suitable substituteā¦
@jshaver would you say it has zippy acidity?
@jshaver Thank you for the rattage.
@losthighwayz I would say minimal acidity.
@CObrent unfortunately I did not have that one.
@jshaver thanks though not what I wanted to hear. Wife and I love SB with lip smacking acidity!
/giphy ultra-peevish-crib
Anybody in the D of DMV pulling the trigger on this one? I could help out and take half or a third of your caseā¦
@kls_in_MD the dept of motor vehicles?!
@kls_in_MD @ttboy23 I had to search it (District, Maryland, Virginia).
I come to you as a baby rat this morning. Iām not going to lie, Iām not very good at tasting wine. I mostly just drink cheap moscato because itās tasty and gets the job done.
But! Here I am, trying my best!
First impression of this wine was a little unsure. I was worried it would have an overpowering alcohol taste.
But I was pleasantly surprised! My first sip was nice and mellow. It gives a little fruity aftertaste that doesnāt linger. Itās nice, crisp, and actually a little refreshing. I feel like this is a wine you could enjoy with just about anything, since itās not overpowering.
The color is a nice pale yellow, and it has a screw top so donāt worry about finding a corkscrew. (I know I had a hard time finding mine, just to find out I didnāt need it.)
And, I know no one asked, but I think the label looks nice as well! Itās clean and minimal without the label looking just empty. Itās looking quite nice on my counter. I enjoy some well done minimalism.
For my first wine tasting, Iād say I enjoyed it! I made it through a few glasses just ātasting itā, if thatās saying anything.
@SpoopySkeleton Thanks for very good first Rat Report! I found it helpful and seems to be confirming what Iād expect (and hope for) in a wine like this. And yes I like the screw-caps too!
@SpoopySkeleton Thank you baby rat. Nice report.
@pmarin @WCCWineGirl Thank you both! Iām glad I could help!
@SpoopySkeleton Nice first Rat Report! Thanks for giving our Sauvignon Blanc a taste and Iām glad you liked it! We worked long and hard with the artist to make the label, so itās also nice to hear that you enjoy it.
@ArtFarmWine Thank you so much! The time spent on the label definitely shows.
Hopefully the winery can chime in with technical specs. I tried clicking specs in their website to no avail.
RS and PH please.
@losthighwayz I pinged them, I think they will jump in soon!
@losthighwayz
Color: Light and fresh
Body: Delicate
Texture: Soft velvet
Vintage: 2018
Alc/ Vol: 13.5%
Varieties:100% Sauvignon Blanc
RS: 4.3g/L
pH: 3.35
For me, the tropical fruit notes hit first, especially on the nose followed by crisp ripe summer peaches. When you drink it alone, itās crisp and refreshing with a balanced acidity that makes you want more. It pairs well with almost anything as the flavor softens and bends. My favorite is to pair it with spicy Thai or Indian food.
Rat reports put me over the edge.
/giphy pertinent-ungrateful-bison
@pmarin ā¦ better to be pushed by Rats than by a large angry Bison.
Note to tourists: donāt do that!
@pmarin I note that the only person being chased is the one in red.
Iāve got this wine before (from the winery) and liked it very much, and I agree with the above, love the packaging as well. But whatās in the bottle was an all-around good SB porch-pounder and easy on the palate.
@tastebud can you ask the winery to please share tech specs?
@losthighwayz - did - they should jump in soon!
@losthighwayz @tastebud Hi! Are there specific tech specs youāre looking for? What do you want to know, Iām happy to share.
@ArtFarmWine @losthighwayz RS and pH pls, and your comments on the wine in general would be great. Can you do so here and also above on the other post! thx!
@losthighwayz @tastebud Color:
Light and fresh
Body: Delicate
Texture: Soft velvet
Vintage: 2018
Alc/ Vol: 13.5%
Varieties:100% Sauvignon Blanc
@losthighwayz @tastebud
The RS was just over 4g/L and the pH 3.35
For me, the tropical fruit notes hit first, especially on the nose followed by crisp ripe summer peaches. When you drink it alone, itās crisp and refreshing with a balanced acidity that makes you want more. It pairs well with almost anything as the flavor softens and bends. My favorite is to pair it with spicy Thai or Indian food.
@ArtFarmWine @tastebud thank you. RS at 4 g/l would make this off dry, correct? I prefer bone dry and curious if this comes across as sweet
@ArtFarmWine @losthighwayz @tastebud Well looks like the AntFarm didnāt come back to answer, but I remember the "RS / sweetness coming up before). Remember that g/L is not the same as %RS. Roughly 1/10 as much.
This article I found (I think I dug up same thing from a search a few months ago) says that <9g/L is ādry.ā And above that is off-dry, to sweet, etc. So at 4g/L itās in the middle of the ādryā band.
Not having tasted it, Iām not sure if itās the ābone-dryā style. The descriptions, including from the winery itself, seem to imply a more full balanced flavor (and people who want a bone-dry SB may not prefer). But I donāt think thereās any report of a noticeable āsweetā characteristic.
I think some of our winemaker friends here from other places have mentioned how the acidity relates to the perception of āsweetnessā so a wine like this might have some RS and still not be tasted as āsweetā at all.
@ArtFarmWine @pmarin @tastebud I was thinking the same regarding the relationship between g/L and Ph. Ph at 3.3 seems racing and may balance the sweetness but what do I know! Lol
@losthighwayz @pmarin @tastebud
In my opinion this is not on the sweet side, but with those tropical and stone fruit flavors some might call it sweet. Itās a relatively dry Sauvignon Blanc with a high enough acidity to delightfully balance any sweetness.
Just ordered hoping close to Jana Sav Blanc since liked so much & have been hoping to see again
@artfarmwine Just checking back in. This did not disappoint! Thank you
@dawnlac We are glad you love it! and weāre always happy for you to come back for more!