VIN94 The 2019 Sauvignon Blanc is rich, creamy and super-expressive from the outset. A healthy dollop of Sémillon give the 2019 striking depth and nuance. Lemon confit, tangerine oil, mint and a dash of tropical fruit all meld together in this beautifully balanced, harmonious Sauvignon Blanc. Harvest stretched into early September, which is on the later side. Vineyard sources are Ryan’s in Oak Knoll and Rancho Pequeño in Oakville. In 2019, the Araujos, along with longtime winemaker Françoise Peschon crafted a Sauvignon Blanc of unreal complexity and finesse.
WA93+ The 2019 Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of 68% Sauvignon Blanc, 17% Semillon and 15% Sauvignon Musqué clone. It wafts effortlessly out of the glass with lime cordial, grapefruit and fresh green apples scents plus hints of mandarin peel, wild thyme and dill seed. Medium-bodied, elegant, very minerally and refreshing, it finishes on a lingering chalky note. Delicious now, it is a style constructed for medium-term aging and should give pleasure over the next 8+ years. 930 cases were made.
Winemaker notes: Enticing aromas of honeydew melon, lemon confit, grapefruit and lime rise from the glass, touched by notes of talcum powder, mint and wild thyme. On the palate, the wine is rich, round, opulent and creamy with a strong mineral finish that prolongs the flavors with a lingering freshness.
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Musque, this compelling wine is complex and fine, showing depth and nuance and should be tasted and then left in the glass to evolve through its multiple aspects of fruit, minerality, creaminess and brightness. Françoise Peschon
Bart and Daphne Araujo have always said their best wine has yet to be made.
This was their philosophy as the proprietors of Araujo Estate and stewards of the historic Eisele Vineyard, and it is their guiding principle today with Accendo Cellars, the Napa Valley winegrowing venture founded in 2013. Inspired by the revolutionary Napa Valley wines of the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, Accendo pays homage to an earlier era and marks a beginning of a promising new paradigm: to source grapes from some of the finest vineyard sites and terroir in Napa Valley; to make a wine of balance and restraint in the style of Napa Valley’s past wines; and to produce this wine with the commitment, energy and meticulous attention to detail that have characterized their past efforts.
They are grateful to be joined by their daughter, Jaime Araujo Bézian, and son, Greg Araujo, as well as a small team of professionals they have worked with for many years, people who share their passion and, most importantly, their values. Applying what they know collectively about grape growing and winemaking, Bart and Daphne’s aim is to create a world-class wine that expresses ecological diversity and focused stewardship.