Winemaker Notes
Bright and mouth-filling, our Estate Luminesce displays expressive aromas of peach, cantaloupe, citrus blossom, and key lime with a subtle tease of white pepper spiciness. On the palate, flavors of fresh peach mingle with exotic jasmine and minerality, building to a fresh, persistent finish.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Luminesce Seven Hills Vineyard is a blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Sémillon. It has pretty scents of peach, nectarine, beeswax and tropical flowers. The medium-bodied palate offers concentrated, layered flavors balanced by vibrant acidity, and it has a long, flavorful finish.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Always one of my favorite Washington whites, the latest Luminesce leans in with aromas of pineapple, cut grass and wet cement. This 60-40 blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc then hits with boisterous acidity and flavors like lemon-lime, Thai basil and pineapple cake.
-
Vinous
The 2023 Luminesce Estate Seven Hills Vineyard is impossible to ignore with zests of lemon and peach shavings complemented by chamomile and hints of wet stone. It soothes with soft textures and a juicy persona, blending ripe nectarines with a saline mineral tinge toward the close. A citrusy concentration puckers the cheeks, tapering off long with a sense of refinement.
-
Wine Spectator
Steely and vivacious, with fresh honeysuckle, fig and apricot flavors that build richness on the finish. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now. 1,250 cases made.
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.