Flashy and pure, with aromas of sliced lemons, lime leaves, honeysuckle, orange blossoms, fresh ginger, fresh herbs, citrus oil and wet stones. The palate is medium-bodied with taut, mouthwatering acidity and a generously textured mid-palate that leads to a long finish. A standout New-World sauvignon blanc in a Bordeaux Blanc style, showing real tension. Excellent. Drink or hold.
97 points, Ryan Montgomery, James Suckling (Dec 2025)
Coming from a mix of Sonoma and Napa fruit, the 2024 Illumination has a Bordeaux Blanc-like vibe in its ripe lime, orange blossom, mint, and spicy wood nuances. It brings plenty of sweet California fruit and is medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with bright acidity and a great finish. It's beautifully done and just an impeccable 100% Sauvignon Blanc from California. Drink bottles over the coming 3-4 years. Drink 2025-2028.
95 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Sep 2025)
Fragrant, effusive and charming, with notes of honeysuckle and orange blossoms up front giving way to a creamy mix of mango, orange sherbet and lemon curd. Spicy accents of candied ginger, litsea oil and salted, preserved lemon join a drizzle of wildflower honey and linger on the long, impressive finish. Drink now through 2036. 5,000 cases made.
94 points, MaryAnn Worobiec, Wine Spectator (Feb 2026)
A stand out Sauvignon Blanc delivering verve and aromatic zest with mouthwatering flavor and a seductive, textural texture. Citrus blossoms, lime zest, mango, lemongrass, and a squeeze of mandarin provide pleasure and detail for a wine to enjoy with a meal or on its own.
94 points, Elaine Chukan Brown, Wine Enthusiast (Apr 2026)
A multidimensional Sauvignon Blanc with both breadth and precision. Lime zest, lime blossom and tarragon laced with vanilla draw you in. Grapefruit, kumquat and crushed Marcona almonds thread through the first wave of flavours. Excellent medium-bodied concentration carries a penetrating core of pithy fruit, warming spice from barrel ageing, and a fresh, focused finish marked by a backbone of zesty acidity and tension. Hand-picked grapes are pressed with whole clusters, and the juice is native fermented in new and neutral French oak barrels, acacia barrels, and stainless steel barrels as well as egg-shaped concrete fermenters.
94 points, Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter (Jul 2025)