The People
The story of Sauvignon John begins with a simple misheard sequence of words. When someone jokingly called her husband “Sommelier John,” and she instead heard “Sauvignon John,” a seed was planted. Carly and John found themselves wrapped up in the idea of getting into the wine business. Some research and poking around later, and then a seed – a grape seed – really was planted.
The Whitehursts dove into wine tasting while in college, but this miscommunication was what really ignited what would eventually become an established winery. Like most folks, they started tasting wine in the $10-$15 per bottle range. As they matured, they got into the $20 and noticed a difference in quality but felt that, at that price point, wines could still be better. John was in finance and found, through his experience, he could turn his passion for wine into a solid business. The goal was to make a high-quality wine at an approachable price point. Their plan for doing so is to not commit to mass distribution in retail. They sell their wines directly to consumers and wine clubs like Blurred Vines.
The Whitehurst family worked their way up swiftly and diligently. They pride themselves on their all American-made and -sourced wine, as evidenced by their Declaration of Independence-inspired labels!
The Dirt
Santa Barbara wine country has geographical and meteorological conditions well-suited for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and finally, Sauvignon Blanc. Like many other regions in California that are prime for vineyards, Santa Barbara sits between two mountain ranges. What sets this area apart from most others is that this valley and its neighboring mountains run East to West – also known as a transverse valley. This characteristic results in highly diverse soils and cool, pleasant temperatures – some of the coolest in the entire state.
The Taste
This complex wine has aromas of pear, notes of lemon citrus, subtle hints of fresh coconut flavors, and a white floral component. Enjoy this food-friendly wine with fresh seafood like ceviche, charcuterie, or Asian food and vegetables. The Whitehursts accomplished their goal of making an affordable wine taste like luxury.
The Spill
We often like to talk about what sets some labels apart from others. The Sauvignon John labels feature a scannable code that directs you to a Spotify playlist to listen to while you sip on the impressive wines they produce. How neat!
