Mekerra Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Melka Wines
Knights Valley, Calif.

For the wine that bears his own name, Philippe Melka grows the grapes on a 10-acre vineyard situated 2,300 feet above Napa Valley. High elevations tend to smooth out tannins, an effect evident in this wine: flowery and rich with a hint of citrus floating around the flavor levels.

Melka, a Frenchman with a geology degree from the University of Bordeaux, took his first winemaking class out of sheer curiosity. He is big into soil - his vineyard's dirt is rich in clay and volcanic ash - and terroir (the act of creating wine redolent of the place where the grapes have been grown). Both interests show well in this wine. Taking in the bouquet, before the Mekerra even hits my palate, I'm thinking about warm afternoons in lush fields. It's the kind of transporting quality that is virtually impossible not to find alluring. $145

Pairing tip: Lobster and crab complement this wine.