Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Pineapple, spiced apples, dust, chalk, guava and dried citrus peel. Full-bodied with an oily yet wonderfully tangy palate. Lots of tropical fruit, fresh acidity and a long finish. So much intensity but very driven. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Coming from 64% Napa County and 36% Sonoma County, the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Illumination is scented of grapefruit, white peaches and elderflowers with just a hint of dried herbs and baking bread. Medium-bodied with great intensity, it delivers bags of refreshing citrus and stone fruit flavors with a good, long finish.
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Wine Spectator
Succulent and fragrant, offering a terrific mix of orange blossom, green tea, peach, Meyer lemon and nectarine flavors on a supple body. A crisp, juicy thread weaves in and out, lingering on the finish.
Illumination first emanated from this little vineyard, appearing in limited circles. Quickly, its rays penetrated the palates of sommeliers, friends and guests who requested Illumination for their own cellars and restaurants. We searched for more grapes from nearby vineyards in Rutherford and the cooler southern regions of Napa Valley always seeking vineyards with alluvial soils and limited yields to provide concentration, mineral notes and bright, vibrant character.
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.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.