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Dry-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes are aged 20 months in mostly neutral French oak barrels. Unfined and unfiltered. A rather dark, meaty, and savoury expression from this iconic Rutherford Estate helmed by founder and proprietor John Williams. Opaque ruby in colour shows black olive, dusty earth, and graphite. Medium-bodied and intensely perfumed on the palate, wit builds in elegance, almost defying its rather muscular aromatic profile. Fresh, balanced, quite complex, and quite cellar-worthy.Decanter | 95 DECOne of the founding practitioners of organic and dry farming in Napa Valley, Frog’s Leap offers a classic approach to Cabernet Sauvignon. Along with flavors of black currant and blackberry, this wine offers lingering spices, lightly tactile tannins and mouthwatering acidity. The wine is both pleasing and perfect for a range of foods from savory mushrooms and risotto, to grass fed beef. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEWell-rounded, fruit-driven and chalky. The nose expresses aromas of blackberries, sweet cherries and earth. It’s medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins. Mellow with a fruity and chewy finish. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 91 JSRipe red and black fruits, darker chocolate, and some smoky tobacco notes all emerge from the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown, a nicely balanced, elegant, impressive Cabernet Sauvignon from this team that has ripe tannins and outstanding length.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The 2021 Pinot Noir Estate is blended from all five of Eyrie’s estate vineyards: the Eyrie, Sisters, Outcrop, Roland Green and Daphne. Cranberry, raspberry and strawberry aromas are accented by wafts of autumn leaves, earth and dried herbs. The light-bodied palate features concentrated berry, earth and spice layers. It’s framed by softly astringent tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a long, nuanced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2021 Pinot Noir Estate lifts from the glass with a mentholated freshness, giving way to dried roses and strawberries. Silky and enveloping, it possesses a core of vividly ripe wild berries and sweet herbal tones that resonate over a tactile staining of saline minerals. Grippy tannins saturate through the long, spicy finish as repleting inner florals and bitter hints of licorice fade.Vinous Media | 94+ VMThe medium ruby 2021 Pinot Noir Estate is fresh with aromas of wild strawberries, fresh roses, and beet root. Medium-bodied and elegant, it floats across the palate with fine tannins and a delicately earthy finish. It’s a killer value and a great snapshot of what Eyrie is all about. It is hands down one of the best entry level Pinot Noir with a clear vision of what you can expect further in the range. Drink 2023-2030.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis shows notes of spiced herbs, dust and ground spices with vivid and juicy cherries and redcurrants. Despite being medium-bodied, it shows weight and structure with impressive concentration of blue-fruit in the middle, and crunchy acidity. Tannins are firm and crunchy with an attractive chocolaty finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2021 Pinot Noir Goldrock Estate is deep, rich and explosive. Dark red cherry, pomegranate, blood orange, menthol, spice and rose petals are all amplified in this dramatic Sonoma Coast Pinot. The complexity and intensity here are simply unreal. Give this time, there’s a lot of wine in the glass.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2021 Pinot Noir Goldrock Estate is a deep, saturated ruby. Fresh aromas of wet rocks, black raspberry, and pressed flowers lift from the glass, with a touch of spice. Medium to full-bodied, it has good structure, with fresh acidity and notes of crunchy red cherry and fresh pine, as well as fine tannins. Its perfume lasts right through to its clean, lifted finish. This is a lovely wine to drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDBeautiful purity of fruit here with dark strawberry, dark cherry and blood orange aromas and flavors that follow through to a medium to full body with firm tannins and a linear and long finish. Lovely now but will improve with a couple of years of bottle age.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2021 Goldrock Estate Pinot Noir is medium ruby-purple in color. Cranberry sauce, redcurrant jelly, and pomegranate notes spring from the glass, followed by hints of cinnamon toast, dark chocolate, and violets. The medium to full-bodied palate has a very fine-grained texture and just enough freshness to frame the intense red berry flavors, finishing long and spicy.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIOffers a vivid, precise display of mulberry puree, along with light violet, hibiscus, anise and blackberry notes. Sleek, with a slight savory ripple at the very end for contrast. Delightfully pure. Drink now through 2029. 1,494 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis wine from the Goldrock Estate is a riper-styled Pinot Noir than the West Sonoma Coast has become known for. It has a gorgeous aromatic profile of sappy blackberries, sous bois, and crumbled violets. The palate is a melange of dark berries framed in smoke, sea salt minerality, tart blackberries, fresh mint, and ripe red cherry flesh mouthfuls. Savoury spices carry the finish with white and green peppercorn and a note of black tea leaf.Decanter | 93 DEC

Bright straw-colored, the 2021 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is forward on the nose with notes of melon rind, fresh pear, flint, and delicate baking spice, and it has a lot of vibrant nature. Medium to full-bodied, it offers fantastic tension and a linear feel with great length, and it’s going to age very well. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2021 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is another dense, ample wine in this range. The Woolsey Road has a good deal of phenolic intensity. There’s real breadth and resonance here. Lemon confit, white pepper and dried herbs are nicely amplified.Vinous Media | 94 VMFragrant, focused and precise, offering flavors of lemongrass and lemon blossoms, with Meyer lemon and green papaya accents, plus a touch of tangerine. Shows green tea, lemon balm and white pepper notes on a mouthwatering frame, with a hint of salinity that lingers. Drink now. 787 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRichness and concentration are the hallmarks of this full-bodied, mouth-filling wine. Deep in Bosc pears, baked apples and baking spices, it offers a creamy texture balanced by moderate acidity. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2021 Pinot Noir The South Slope Vineyard is a classic Steven Hansel wine. A rush of dark cherry, plum lavender, rose petal and licorice are all dialed up. This boisterous, exuberant Pinot Noir has a ton of character. Plush contours wrap it all together in style. The 2021 will be nearly impossible to resist on release. What a knock-out!Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2021 Pinot Noir The South Slope Vineyard takes on a notably darker profile, and assuming its name is derived from the exposition of this vineyard, that comes as no surprise. Pouring a dark red/purple hue, in the glass it reveals more warmth and depth, with aromas of blackberry, pine sap, porcini, and violets. The palate is full-bodied, with more hearty richness, a meaty texture, and a rounded frame. With ripe tannins and a more grounded sensibility, it carries an earthier profile and retains a stamp of toastiness on the finish. Though I prefer the energy of the North Slope, this will certainly be a wine that Russian River Valley fans can embrace for a richer style. Drink 2024-2030.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

A bright yellow hue with green highlights, the 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard is expressive in its lacy perfume of jasmine, tarragon, salty earth, and bright green apple. Medium-bodied, it offers beautiful, pristine, ripe fruit, a pithy texture, and a delicate arch to its rounded mouthfeel, with no harshness. It’s refined and graceful, with a floral flourish of lemon blossoms lasting long on the finish. Drink 2024-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2022 Lark Block bottling of chardonnay from Durant Vineyard is truly one of the finest white wines I have yet had the pleasure to taste from Kelley Fox. The bouquet is very precise and has a gently exotic floral sheen to it, offering up scents of pear, casaba melon, fresh almond, a beautiful base of soil tones, lemon peel, orange blossoms and a touch of honeysuckle. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with superb depth at the core lovely soil inflection, a fine spine of acidity and a long, vibrant and impeccably balanced finish. This is very easy to drink out of the blocks, but there is so much more lurking here right below the surface that I would definitely try to give the wine three or four years in the cellar to allow its secondary layers of complexity to start to emerge. It is a great wine. (Drink between 2024 - 2040)John Gilman | 94 JGThe 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard blossoms in the glass as wildflowers and crushed apples give way to mint and crushed stone suggestions. This opens with a lovely inner sweetness and supple texture contrasted with zesty acids and crisp orchard fruits. It tapers off with amazing tension, grippy and cheek puckering with a citrusy concentration as savory herbs and a sensation of liquid stone fade.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Get ready to pop the cork on a wine that’s as bold as it is beautiful! The 2022 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon struts its stuff with a deep purple-black hue that practically begs you to take a sip. A delightful bouquet of crème de cassis, violets, and a tantalizing hint of chocolate box. Once you take that first sip, the full-bodied experience unfolds like a velvet blanket. The finish is long lasting that will have you dreaming of your next glass. Sokolin Tasting Panel | 95 SP

Lastly, the 2022 Chardonnay Rosemary’s Vineyard is another Arroyo Grande release that saw 14 months in 30% new French oak. It’s a slightly more savory, masculine styled effort that has both citrus and stone fruits, lots of crushed stone minerality, honeyed white flowers, blanched almonds, and subtle spicy oak aromas and flavors. It has rock-solid concentration, bright yet integrated acidity, and a gorgeous finish. It’s up with the finest Chardonnay in the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2022 Chardonnay Rosemary’s Vineyard is another gorgeous Chardonnay from Brian Talley and his team. Complex and multi-dimensional, the Rosemary’s is wonderfully dynamic from start to finish. Layers of rich orchard fruit intermingle with bright acids and light tropical accents that add raciness. I especially admire its complex, multi-dimensional personality.Vinous Media | 95 VMA stunningly beautiful Chardonnay, the Rosemary’s is from the coolest site, the cool Talley Estate. Planted in 1987 to complement the Pinot Noir planted across the estate driveway. Within three to five years, this wine will become ethereal. Beguiling aromatics of lemon verbena, English hawthorn and concentrated grilled fleshy pineapple with a kiss of herbaceous wild tarragon. The texture is extraordinary, and 14 months of sur lie elevage in 30% new French oak has imparted intense lemon curd flavours, lemon oil and grilled lemon peel. There’s a soaring minerality marked by briny sea air, bright white pepper and savoury notes of cardamom mark the finish. (Tasted from bottle #5631.)Decanter | 95 DECA generous, plush, delicious wine with ample baked-fruit flavors and spicy vanilla bean accents. Medium-bodied with energizing acidity and a lingering finish. Estate grown on the Talley family’s original vineyard site. Sustainable. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSAged for 14 months in 30% new French oak, the 2022 Chardonnay Rosemary’s Vineyard splits the difference between a fresh, vibrant frame and toasty, punchy richness. The nose is reminiscent of a classic California Chardonnay, albeit with notably more verve and zest. The palate is powerful, yellow-fruited and creamy, leading to a finish that combines butterscotch-laden power with saline, stony refreshment.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

A Central Russian River Blend, the 2022 Chardonnay Chloe is a bright yellow hue and captures a wide spectrum of citrus with notes of orange, Meyer lemon, fresh pineapple, toasted spice, and a hint of almond through the mid-palate as well as a nice lift of citrus on the finish. It’s a beautiful wine offering a richer tone through the range. Drink 2024-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDLemongrass, sage and apples with some pastry dough and flint. Medium-bodied with a pretty core of fruit and hints of minerals, flint and spices such as peppercorns and cloves. Drink it now.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2022 Chardonnay Chloe hops from the glass with exuberant notes of white peaches, fresh pears, and yellow apples opening out to nuances of honeysuckle and ginger tea. The medium-bodied palate has great tension and intensity, with layers of orchard fruit flavors and a long, ginger-laced finish. The first vintage of Chloe was 2000. This year the blend is 30% Flora Marie Vineyard, 40% Bressay, and 30% El Diablo.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIThe 2022 Chardonnay Chloe comes from three vineyards: Flora Marie (30%), El Diablo (30%) and Dumol’s Bressay Estate Vineyard (40%). Grapes were harvested August 12, 18 and 26. It has heady, enveloping scents of peach, quince, lemongrass and jasmine, plus touches of toast and spice. The palate is silky and mouthwatering and features layer after layer of perfumed fruit that lingers in the mouth long after the wine has gone. 1,200 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2022 Chardonnay Chloe is laced with hints of orchard fruit, lemon confit, marzipan, tangerine peel and a kiss of French oak. Effusive in its bouquet yet also delicate in feel, Chloe is a supremely charming wine. Soft contours wrap it all together in style.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2022 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it prances out of the glass with showy scents of violets, dark chocolate, juicy blueberries, and kirsch, leading to hints of menthol, cedar chest, and Chinese five spice. The medium to full-bodied palate offers layers of exotic spices and earthy nuances, supported by firm, lightly chewy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with epic length. That classic To Kalon power really comes through on the finish!The Wine Independent | 97 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard is supple and juicy, qualities that will be best appreciated on the early side. It offers tons of forward appeal, if not quite the dimension, power of intensity of the best years. There’s no way to get past the challenges of the brutal heat here.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2022 Houyi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon 12% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored it is quite closed at the moment needing a lot of coaxing to bring out notes of plum preserves blueberry compote and black cherries giving way to hints of tar star anise and cumin seed. Full-bodied the palate is dense with black fruit preserves layers supported by firm grainy tannins and just enough freshness finishing long and opulent. Houyi Vineyard was picked through the 2022 heatwave. This fruit needed a lot of selection (nearly 30% of the fruit was discarded) making this a stellar effort. Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown Review date: 2024-09-12The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard is a dense, explosive wine. It shows the radiant, solar style of the year but with the body and texture that so many wines lack. This is the first vintage Realm made following their acquisition of this site, and they conducted the heaviest sorting here. Super-ripe red cherry, red plum, mocha, spice, lavender and orange peel stain the palate. This is a stellar wine for the year.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2022 Moonracer Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it shimmies out of the glass with energetic scents of red currant jelly, Morello cherries, mint tea, and rose oil, followed by suggestions of clove oil, cinnamon toast, and graphite. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers lightly chewy tannins and impressive freshness to frame the baking spice-laced red berry flavors, finishing with a minty lift.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Moonracer is a pretty, open-knit wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Crushed flowers, red-toned fruit, mint, cinnamon and orange peel open nicely with a bit of time in the glass. Pretty floral overtones add freshness to this silky, mid-weight Cabernet Sauvignon.Vinous Media | 94 VM

A jeweled ruby/red hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir The Plow is an exceptional wine all around and its name pays tribute to all of those who work in the vineyard for the estate. In the glass, it reveals a spiced and complex nose with aromas of black cherries, anise, sappy forest herbs, fresh leather, and crushed flowers. As it opens, it continues to evolve and bring forward more sanguine notes of blood orange that frame the wine beautifully. The palate offers outstanding depth and intensity with a characteristic elegance and weightless feel, plush tannins, refreshing salinity, and mineral underpinnings. I would recommend stashing this one away for a few years and drink 2026-2040. Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSmoky, earth-driven umami marks this aromatically intense bottling of The Plow from Lingua Franca. Sourced from choice blocks in the Lingua Franca estate Block 1, with a special massal selection of 777 as well as 115 in Block 3, Calera Clone in Block 6, and structure from clone 943 in Block 4. Gravelly soils give this wine all the earthen intensity you can handle. Turned soils and singed violets come together with notes of smoky clove and salty soy. The palate delivers ripe blackberries, savoury sesame oil and rich ferrous minerality that carries the finish with a touch of iron and blood. Wow.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECAn air of dusty rose and crushed chalk gives way to herbal-tinged blackberries as the 2022 Pinot Noir The Plow blossoms in the glass. Soothingly round and supple, yet also savory to the core, this drenches the palate with masses of red/blue fruit and saline mineral tones, all offset by a hit of sour citrus. Perfumed inner florals resonate over a bed of fine-grained tannins as The Plow finishes dramatically long, youthfully structured and spicy.Vinous Media | 94 VMSteely and vivid, with bright acidity and stony minerality, this Pinot offers cranberry and pomegranate flavors laced with forest floor and tea leaf as this gathers tension toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2032. 1,188 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

A good bit of this wine comes from Bishop Creek, up to one-third, though it includes five to six other sites. ‘The idea of this wine is to express both the Valley and the vintage,’ says Jean Nicolas Méo. It’s both a vineyard and barrel selection and 30% new oak. The aromatics are grounded in red florals, with touches of earth and a spritz of spiced blood orange. The palate is elegant and refined, with tart berries, a silken structure and a beautiful finish of savoury spice. We make the barrel selection for this wine first before we make our single vineyard wines. ‘These are the best sites and our best barrels from the vintage,’ says partner Jay Boberg.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2022 Pinot Noir L’Ensemble is a top 100 Wines of the Year contender. Sporting a reflective medium ruby hue in the glass, it’s pretty and inviting on opening, with pure notes of wild berries, delicate spices, crushed stones, and fresh roses. Medium-bodied on the palate, it’s refreshing and light on its feet, with fine tannins, a clean feel all the way through, and a tapered, mouthwatering finish. Seamless and pure, this is a fantastic appellation wine to enjoy over the next 10-12 years. I would snatch up a case or two to enjoy more frequently.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDElegant and pure, this pinot opens with aromas of fresh cherries, red currants, subtle flowers, dried tangerine peel and savory herbs. The palate is medium-bodied and effortlessly balanced, with silky tannins and lively acidity carrying the wine to a long, smooth, slightly spiced finish. I like the mineral tension. Better from 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSA steely version, with chiseled acidity and pinpoint notes of cranberry and cherry that are laced with stony minerality, forest floor and rose petal details as this gathers tension toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2033. 1,348 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis best barrel selection from prime Willamette Valley vineyards invites you in with aromas of rose petals, red cherries, sweet pea flowers and lemon. Crisp acidity awakens the palate to fresh flavors of boysenberries, rosemary and orange zest. L’Ensemble’s tannins are as silky as its texture. To quote the Fine Young Cannibals, the L’Ensemble is a "Good Thing." Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2022 Pinot Noir L’Ensemble is a total pleasure to take in, mixing wild blueberries and cherries with sweet spice and hints of cola. This is fruit-forward yet refined, with juicy acidity and bitter tinges of clove and citrus that add contrast throughout. It tapers off with medium length, leaving a tart cranberry crunchiness and a pleasantly chewy sensation that persists.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2022 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard is a high point of a beautiful lineup, showcasing both Tyler’s high-fidelity winemaking and the pedigree of this famed vineyard site now part of the estate roster. The darkest, most brooding nose in the range, the aromas here are almost sweet in their concentration but offer a balancing, savory energy. The palate is driven by an umami-like richness, with immense confidence and intensity. It finishes with decadent fruit flavors surrounded by woody, drying tannins that continue to swell with aeration. This wine shows another level of richness than is typical in the Tyler lineup, and it should have an impressive aging trajectory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2022 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix is laced with dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice and licorice. Forward and juicy, with tons of immediacy, the Fiddlestix is very nicely balanced. There’s gorgeous mid-palate structure and overall resonance here. The 2022 is impeccable. This is the first site Justin Willett picks. The style is on the more forward, juicy side for Tyler, which is likely attributable to the Dijon clones planted here.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Legendary for its old Chardonnay vines and unusual mix of disparate soils, Ritchie Vineyard is home to Ramey’s 20 rows, planted in 1972. Part of this selection includes Old Wente Clone. “We have worked with the same 20 rows since 2002,” says Claire Ramey. This wine exudes a beautiful floral lift, while the palate is nothing short of a steel beam of intensity, softened by a juicy core. Layers of citrus peel, apricot, and poached pear unfold, leading to a fabulous sprinkling of crunchy sea salt on the finish. One of the most food-friendly wines in the lineup, it demands pairing with rich fish or chicken dishes. Mineral intensity lingers long on the finish, reinforcing its precision and structure.Decanter | 96 DEC

The 2022 Les Pavots is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot from fruit harvested September 12 through October 14. It has pure, layered aromas of blueberry, blackcurrant, violet, iodine, chocolate and thyme. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and mineral-driven, its dark flavors laced with graphite. It’s structured by powerful, grainy tannins and juicy acidity, and it has a long, floral finish. It will benefit from several years in the cellar. A total of 2,397 cases were made, and the wine will be released in April of 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP

The Rochioli family has been growing grapes on their property since the late 1950s, with the vineyard now farmed by the third generation. The 2021 Ramey Rochioli blend is sourced from 82% Mid-40 Block and 18% River Block. This wine delivers a gorgeous intensity of fruit and pressed wildflowers. On the palate, ripe lemon peel fruit expands into the mid-palate, where density builds alongside remarkable tension, all balanced by an extraordinary silky richness. Pure and riveting, laced with subtle vanilla accents, fantastic ginger character, and poached pear. A Chardonnay of intense richness and impressive length. (The first vineyard-designate release from Ramey was the 2015 vintage, though Ramey has been sourcing these grapes since 2008.)Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC

Woolsey Road benefits from two pillars of the Chardonnay world: it originates from the Hyde family’s cuttings of Old Wente and is farmed by the third and fourth generations of the Martinelli family. This Chardonnay showcases a remarkable flavour intensity, with rich citrus fruit—lemon, lime, and grapefruit zest—woven with oyster shell minerality. Restrained yet brimming with tension, this wine has so much going on. A real depth of fruit and mineral integrity is evident, though it remains somewhat shy, biding its time. Make no mistake—this will blossom into a rich and excellent wine, fully deserving of its high praise. It is focused and laser-like in its precision, with remarkable restraint and tension. This vineyard is owned by the Martinelli family and was planted to Ramey’s specifications in 2007. According to Ramey, it lies directly south of the Martinelli Winery on Woolsey Road. The vines are spaced one metre by two metres on a northeast-facing slope. Planted on 420A rootstock, known for its low vigour, the vines are cane-pruned. The site’s Huichica clay loam over clay soil composition contributes to the wine’s mineral-driven precision. This cool-climate site was planted with Old Wente cuttings from Chardonnay vines Ramey originally planted at Platt Vineyard.Decanter Magazine | 96 DEC

An extraordinary white, with details of beeswax, honeysuckle and lanolin giving way to succulent white peach, nectarine and lemon curd flavors on a plush, juicy frame. Shows details of marmalade and candied ginger, with hints of litsea oil and lemon balm that linger on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2035. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe core grapes for Quintessa’s Illumination white are sourced from the winery’s estate in Rutherford, along with fruit from another site in South Napa and a vineyard in Sonoma’s Bennett Valley. In 2023, the blend included 58% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Sauvignon Blanc Musqué, and 10% Sémillon. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed before fermentation, initiated by native yeasts in a mix of French oak barrels, acacia barrels, egg-shaped concrete fermenters, and stainless steel barrels. The wine is then aged in a variety of vessels, including concrete eggs, ceramic amphorae, French oak barrels, French acacia barrels, and stainless steel, along with neutral oak cigar barrels. There is some bâtonnage until blending and bottling, which occurs in March following the previous harvest. The wine is not fined but is filtered. Delicate aromatics of orchard fruits and tropical fruit, like white peach and white flowers, mingle with slivered almonds and a hint of sea spray minerality. What a pleasure-packed wine, so vivid with incredible tension, bright acidity, and a compellingly rich texture. Very long, layered, and generous. (60% Napa, 40% Sonoma).Decanter | 95 DECAs usual, the 2023 Illumination is a blend of Napa and Sonoma-sourced fruit, including Sauvignon Blanc from the estate (Musqué), southern Napa and Bennett Valley, plus Sémillon from Calistoga. Fermented and aged in a mix of oak and acacia, stainless steel and concrete, it kicks off with scents of struck flint and pencil shavings, backed by notes of pear, fig and pineapple. It’s medium to full-bodied but also bright, fresh and zesty, with a lingering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

This wine is rich, zesty, with aromas of pineapple, mango, citrus blossom, and dried herbs on the nose. The flavors on the palate are Golden delicious apple, brulee orange slices, Meyer lemon cream, dried herbs, and a long mouth watering finish. The ultimate Old Vine SB experience. Pair with Grilled Spot Prawns, Dandelion Salad Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE