Winemaker Notes
#39 James Suckling Top 100 Wines of the USA 2025
On the nose, enticing aromas of Asian pear and quince mingle with delicate floral notes of lemon verbena and chamomile tea. A subtle minerality, reminiscent of oyster shell, emerges, hinting at the wine's coastal influence. The palate is rich and layered, revealing a complex interplay of flavors. Fines herbs contribute a savory nuance, while a whisper of nori adds an intriguing umami note, grounding the bright fruit and floral characteristics. The wine's texture is luxurious, yet it retains a vibrant freshness, leading to a long, satisfying finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A super-fresh, mineral-laden white that is super tangy and nicely concentrated. This contains 19% semillon and 6% sauvignon musque. Medium-bodied, elegant and acid-driven, with vivid lemon zest, kiwi and wet stone flavors that linger in the finish.
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Decanter
The primary source for this wine is Ehrlich Vineyard in Oakville, where the vines are now about 35 years old. Additional fruit comes from Araujo’s Home Vineyard in the Oakville AVA, which contributes Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Sauvignon Musqué, as well as Juliana Vineyard in Pope Valley. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed to tank, with the majority fermenting in neutral barrels—the wine ages 10–11 months, with roughly 15% new French oak. In 2023, this wine offers terrific texture, shifting from velvety richness to a grippy, intense structure supported by an expressive spine of crisp acidity. It is incredibly fragrant and presents layers of white flowers, citrus oil, lemongrass, and crushed Marcona almonds. These vibrant aromatics carry through to the palate, framed by marvellous tension-filled acidity and an excellent saline-mineral finish—a true standout in 2023, with both body and presence. Winemaker Françoise Peschon has worked with Bart and Daphne Araujo since 1993, when they owned Eisele Vineyard. She makes the white wines for Accendo Cellars and consults with Nigel Kinsman on the reds. As of 2023, the estate is owned by Greg and Jaime Araujo.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Made by Françoise Pechon and bright and racy, the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc reveals crushed citrus, stony minerality, and mint notes. All barrel-fermented (20% new), it's clean, bright, and impressive, showing a fresher style. A blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc, 19% Semillon, and 6% Sauvignon Musque, it hit 13.8% alcohol, and there are 1,209 cases produced.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Sourced from two vineyards in Oakville and another in Pope Valley, Accendo's 2023 Sauvignon Blanc boasts gently floral scents on the nose, plus notes of orangey citrus, nectarines and a hint of fig. Mainly barrel-fermented in used oak, it's medium- to full-bodied, plump and generous on the palate, its silky texture enriched by regular bâtonnage. Finishing crisp and clean, it's a delicious apéritif, but it can also accompany a variety of seafood or vegetarian dishes.
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Vinous
The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc offers a striking mix of vibrancy and mid-palate creaminess. White flowers, mint, crushed rocks and lemon peel all grace this airy, delineated Sauvignon Blanc. This classy, polished white will drink well for a number of years.
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Wine Spectator
An impressive version, with plenty of intensity and focus to its aromatic mix of lemon verbena, lemon balm and orange blossoms at the core. Fresh pear and lemon sherbet notes linger on the sleek and fresh finish alongside whiffs of sage and wildflower honey. Drink now. 1,100 cases made.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.