Far Niente "Dolce" Napa Valley Dessert Wine 2009

Dolce is Napa's ultimate Sauternes-style dessert wine, with its noble botrytis underpinning and joyful acidity. A combination of late harvest Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc from a 20-acre estate vineyard in the temperate town of Coombsville, the vineyard is naturally sheltered from the wind so that the morning fog and natural humidity lingers to allow botrytis to take hold on the grape clusters. The luxurious Sauternes style is completed by 31 months in new French oak before bottling. The wine will pair well with foie gras, poached figs, blue or washed-rind cheeses, or non-chocolate desserts like creme brulee. From the winery: "Aromas of apricot, poached pear and orange rind dominate the more subtle clove and mineral notes. The flavors mimic the aromas on the nose, melding with a mouthwatering texture and added notes of juicy orange and citrus blossom. This wine shows the restraint of youthfulness with the expectation that its bottle bouquet will emerge with a few more years of bottle age