At Carpe Diem, a super new wine bar in Napa, the delightful 2009 Joie de Vivre Sauvignon Blanc from Joseph Kent.

But first Carpe Diem. Open only two weeks, this attractive, informal restaurant and wine bar is the creation of owner and wine director Steve Distler. Distler is a serious wine enthusiast, and I mean serious, particularly when it comes to seeking out idiosyncratic small producers of interesting wine. His by the glass list makes for both intriguing reading and rewarding exploration, and alone is worth a visit.

This is where I discovered the Kent Sauvignon Blanc. It has more body than most SB’s thanks to the judicious use of neutral oak barrels, by which I assume Kent means barrels that have been filled several times already. Oak is anathema to SB purists, but it works for me as it lends a fuller, rounder mouthfeel to the wine without in any way intruding on the clean, pure expression of the sauvignon blanc fruit.

This extra weight made it a delight with the rustic flavors of the roasted wild mushroom flatbread. Cooked in a brick oven, covered with gruyere, arugula, and, I suspect, drizzled with truffle oil, it just oozed earthy authenticity.

Top this all off with the fact that Distler keeps his markups reasonable, and the service is efficient and friendly, and all I now have to do is figure out how to get back to Napa again soon.