▴ Illumination 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
Illumination 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, Quintessa, California, USA
Another super impressive rendition of this much admired and highly sought-after white Bordeaux-inspired blend from Quintessa winemaker Rebekah Wineburg. 2023 was a refreshingly mild, cool vintage in Northern California enabling the grapes (picked from plots in both Napa and Sonoma) to ripen and retain acidity. It was then fermented in a variety of vessels including French oak barrels (new and old) Acacia oak, stainless steel and concrete eggs. The end result is a wine of beguiling complexity, pleasure and sophistication starting with a nose of primary citrus fruit and a whisper of pineapple. Lemon curd, white peach and flinty gooseberry dominate the palate at this premature stage. There’s also a hint of savoury spice and a mineral undertow. Impeccably balanced, with mid-weight structure, the tensile acidity frames the wine’s textured, creamy roundness from the oak ageing. The tangy, gently bitter finish is sublime. Irresistibly delicious now, but also well worth keeping for another 5-10 years. 13.5%
Drink now to 2033
Blend: 58% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Sauvignon Blanc Musqué, 10% Semillon
£252 for a case of six bottles.
Review Oct 2024, JS