Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc
Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc is a 750mL California white wine made by Jenny Wagner, owner and winemaker of her family's Emmolo label. Her stated style is deliberate restraint — not overly ripe, not herbaceous, minerality-driven rather than fruit-driven, with vibrant acidity. In recent vintages the fruit has come from three California areas — Suisun Valley in Solano County (more than half of it), Lake County and Napa Valley — farmed with canopy and sunlight techniques the winery uses specifically to eliminate herbaceous character while reaching full ripeness. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Size: 750mL
- Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
- Origin: California, USA — Suisun Valley, Lake County and Napa Valley fruit in recent vintages (official sheets)
- Style: Minerality-driven, vibrant acidity, deliberately not ripe or herbaceous (winemaker)
- Winemaker: Jenny Wagner — Emmolo family in Rutherford since 1923; label launched 1994; Jenny took over in 2011
Jenny Wagner's Less-Is-More Sauvignon Blanc
The Emmolos arrived in Rutherford from Sicily in 1923 and built a rootstock nursery that supplied Napa growers; Jenny's mother Cheryl launched the Emmolo label in 1994, and Jenny — of the family that also founded Caymus — has run it since 2011. Her Sauvignon Blanc philosophy is that less is more: pick for freshness, farm out the green notes, and let minerality do the talking. Browse the label on the Emmolo Wine Company vendor page or see more white wine.
Tasting Notes
Across the producer's recent-vintage sheets, the recurring elements are citrus and lime, white peach, honeydew and honeysuckle over a steely wet-stone minerality, with a fresh, clean finish — the note set varies by vintage, and the Del Mesa listing names no vintage.
How to Enjoy
The winemaker suggests salads, grilled fish or pea soup — or simply a well-chilled glass on its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a Napa Valley wine? Not solely — recent vintages blend Suisun Valley, Lake County and Napa Valley fruit, and the wine is labelled California.
What makes it different from other Sauvignon Blancs? Restraint, per the winemaker: farmed to avoid herbaceous character, picked against over-ripeness, and built on minerality and acidity rather than tropical fruit.
Who makes it? Jenny Wagner, whose family has farmed in Rutherford since 1923 and launched the Emmolo label in 1994.
Steely, citrus-bright and deliberately restrained — order Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.