I have never been completely sold on California sauvignon blanc, especially for wines that cost $16 or less. They're not necessarily poorly made; rather, the style is kind of wishy-washy -- not New Zealand and not Sancerre, but not especially California, either.
Which brings us to the Frei Bros. (about $16), which does seem to have found a certain Sonoma style -- not especially citrusy, but with some tropical fruit, a bit of grassiness and a long, pleasing finish not often found in wines of this price. It's more than a solid value.
In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by the entire Frei line. The operation, run by the Gallo empire, has improved the wines with this vintage, focusing on what it get can from the grapes and not what it wants to turn the wine into. Even more impressive than the sauvignon blanc was the pinot noir, a fine example of what can be accomplished in California (though pricey at around $25).
