100% Sauvignon Blanc

Food pairings: Oysters on the half shell, steamed mussels, grilled shrimp skewers, fish tacos, goat cheese with fresh herbs, green salads with citrus, and all kinds of coastal cuisine on a warm day.

Winemaking: The grapes are picked at optimal ripeness to keep their freshness, then cold-fermented in stainless steel tanks with no malolactic conversion, and given only a brief élevage in tank before bottling. There is no oak: the goal is a bright, crisp and mouthwatering white, best enjoyed young and well chilled.

Vineyards and terroir: Pavette sources fruit from all around California, and the 2025 Sauvignon Blanc comes entirely from Monterey County, from the Hames Valley AVA in the south of the county.

Family and history: Pavette means "little peacock": "pav" as in the Croatian páv, the Galician pavón, the Italian pavone and the Spanish pavo real, plus "-ette", the diminutive of vignette and kitchenette. It is a project from the team at Valkyrie Selections, the California importer and producer behind labels such as Marine Layer and Valravn, whose mission is to scout "both the diamonds in the rough and the jewels in the crown", with equal appreciation for great cult wines and easygoing everyday bottles. Pavette is their answer for when you want more for less: an incredible value from all around California, made and priced to brighten up any night of the week. The motto on every bottle: "Always be struttin'."

In the pictures: An Indian peafowl in full display, the "little peacock" behind the Pavette name (photo: Giles Laurent, 2023, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons).