Review: Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc

It’s mid-March and we’ve already had our first taste of spring here in Cincinnati. We’ve had some warm days, getting into the 70s. The magnolia trees and daffodils are blossoming. And I’m seeing buds on bushes and grapevines around my yard. That first taste of spring makes my palate crave more summer-oriented wines, like Sauvignon Blanc.

I find Sauvignon Blanc to be an interesting variety, because it’s such an expressive wine with many possible personalities. Sometimes it’s over-the-top with tropical fruit, sometimes it’s dominated by green/grassy characteristics and sometimes it’s really elegant. Generally speaking, the ones I come across from California have a nice balance of the various Sauvignon Blanc characteristics. This one, from Bonterra, fits well into that narrative.

Another narrative that piques my interest with Bonterra is their history and commitment to sustainable agriculture. It’s not just talk with them either, they’ve gotten a few different 3rd party sustainability certifications to hold themselves accountable.

• Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC), is a certification program focused primarily on organic farming and soil health, but also extends into the full farm ecosystem. In 2021, Bonterra’s estate vineyards became ROC certified at the Silver Level.
• Climate Neutral is a certification program requiring participating brands to both minimize their emissions and offset whatever emissions they cannot eliminate. Bonterra offsets their emissions by 110%, meaning they are not just climate neutral but climate positive.
• B Corp certification is a holistic sustainability program that evaluates businesses for their impact and commitments to the environment, equity, inclusion, governance, a regenerative economy and more. A voluntary B Corp assessment for most ordinary businesses results in a score of 50.9. Bonterra recieved a score of 130 on their assessment, placing them in the “outstanding” category of B Corp brands.
• TRUE Zero Waste is a certification program focused on exactly what you’d think, based on the name — eliminating waste. As a part of their commitment, Bonterra has diverted waste from going to the landfill, recycled more and intentionally sought out recycled materials to use in their operations.

Not to sound like a shill, but while the wine is delicious, there are clearly plenty of other reasons to love Bonterra, too.

Tasting Notes

This wine says “summer” at first whiff. White peach, melon, kiwi, grapefruit, grass and wet stone aromas give this wine plenty of tropical fruit, elegance and complexity on the nose. On the palate, grapefruit/citrus and peach flavors are the stars supported by melon flavors and a touch of salinity. The acidity is nice and vibrant. The mouthfeel is pleasant. It finishes medium-long with lemon, grapefruit and peach flavors.

Wine: Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc
Varieties: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2022
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 87
Average price: $14.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.