The Hess Collection Hess Select Sauvignon Blanc 2018
The Hess Collection Hess Select Sauvignon Blanc 2018 is a 13.5% ABV, 750mL white wine from California's North Coast — Sauvignon Blanc fermented in stainless steel without oak, in the zesty New World style the Hess family has made its signature everyday white. The 2018 season was a winemaker's gift: an even, warm summer with no disruptive heat spikes, whites picked from mid-September at full flavour. Grassy, citrus-bright and rich through the middle, it is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 13.5%
- Size: 750mL
- Vintage: 2018
- Appellation: North Coast, California
- Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
- Fermentation: Stainless steel, no oak
- Producer: The Hess Collection Winery, Napa (Mount Veeder estate, est. 1978)
From Donald Hess's Mountain Vision to the North Coast
Swiss entrepreneur Donald Hess came to Napa in the 1970s convinced that elevation was the valley's untapped advantage, and in 1978 he established The Hess Collection Winery on Mount Veeder, on the site of one of the region's oldest wineries — pairing the estate with his other great passion, a working art museum. The Hess Select range is the family's everyday line, sourced from grower families across California's North Coast who farm to the house principle of nurturing the land and returning what you take. The North Coast's mild Mediterranean climate and long, even ripening give this Sauvignon Blanc its combination of bright citrus and an unusually full, rich mouthfeel. Browse the estate on the The Hess Collection Winery vendor page or compare across the white wine shelf.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Fresh melon and grapefruit with a subtle lychee note and the variety's classic grassy lift. Palate: Yellow stone fruit with succulent peach and apricot, dense and mineral-edged, the citrus energy of a New World Sauvignon Blanc with a nod to New Zealand. Finish: Bright and enjoyable, closing on lemon zest and balanced acidity.
How to Enjoy
Serve well chilled. The winery's own pairing line is salads and green vegetables; it is equally at home with goat cheese, grilled prawns, ceviche and any dish that wants a squeeze of citrus over it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2018 Hess Select Sauvignon Blanc oaked? No. It is fermented in stainless steel without oak, specifically to show off the fruit in its brightest, most refreshing form.
Where does the fruit come from? Family growers across California's North Coast appellation — a cool, Mediterranean-climate region north of San Francisco known for flavourful fruit with agreeable natural acidity.
What food pairs best with it? Salads and green vegetables per the winemaker, plus goat cheese, shellfish and citrus-dressed dishes.
An estate name, an everyday price, a proper North Coast vintage — order Hess Select Sauvignon Blanc 2018 from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.