The 2019 Pioneer Block 3 43 Degrees Dillons Point Sauvignon Blanc bursts from the glass with notes of passion fruit, leafy white currants and hints of green onion. It's hugely distinctive, one reason it's been a Pioneer Block for many years. Under all those wild aromas, there's a medium-bodied core of white grapefruit that shows impressive concentration and focus, lingering on the finish like citrus in a paper cut.

The 2018 Pioneer Block 3 43 Degrees Dillons Point Sauvignon Blanc comes from a vineyard close to the ocean, planted on fairly rich alluvial soils. With a bit more fruit shading than typical, it emphasizes the herbal, leafy side of Sauvignon Blanc, yielding hints of nettles and green tomatoes layered over grapefruit-like flavors. It's medium-bodied and linear on the palate, crisply focused and refreshing on the long finish.

This bottling is a bit green and herbal while remaining plump and ripe in the mouth. The aromas are intense and vibrant, redolent of gooseberries and crushed tomato leaves, while the flavors are a beguiling mix of ripe tropical fruit, with an herbal edge that lingers on the finish. — (8/1/2012) —92