Sauvignon Blanc takes on countless incarnations throughout the world, and of course, it all comes down to terroir and winemaking. Only certain sites have the capacity to draw finesse and drinkability from this variety, and even when planted in the right places, techniques such as inoculation with aromatic yeast strains and sterile filtration can zap the life from what would be a fine wine, producing instead a beverage more reminiscent of mass-produced fruit punch than an authentic representation of place and the unique hand of a vigneron.
        This brings us to Egna, a small town in Alto Adige, Italy’s northernmost (and perhaps its most stunning) wine region. In 1990, local grower Peter Dipoli planted Sauvignon on steep terrain of rocky limestone, perched hundreds of meters above the valley floor in a position that appears more suitable to mountaineering than viticulture. The grapes from this breathtaking parcel are fermented and aged in large acacia casks, a method that promotes the development of deep, complex flavors while retaining the racy nerve that provides thirst-quenching refreshment.
         You won’t find any grassiness in Peter’s Sauvignon, and certainly no cat pee. Its perfume is exotic yet refined, with ripe, luscious citrus introducing a textured mouthfeel of total precision before a bracing, chalky finish. Bottle age is certain to reveal further nuances—with five or ten more years, this 2014 promises to be truly spectacular. Indeed, this compelling expression of the variety speaks more to the extreme conditions in which it grows and the prowess of its maker than to Sauvignon’s often overtly obvious varietal character. This unparalleled mountain white will satisfy and refresh, all while shattering any preconceived notions of what Sauvignon Blanc should be.