2023 Appliqué White Blend California 750 ml

The world-class winemaking team at one iconic Napa estate is revered for their $300+ reds, but they make one of the most daring, iconoclastic, and satisfying white wines in California. The first step in their process is throwing out all the rules.

They’re not bound to estate grapes. They don’t have a standard cépage or a method. They simply source the most fascinating grapes they can, from anywhere in the state, and craft them into a unique California white. 

Because of a long relationship with the winemaking team, we sat in on a late blending session. We swirled and sipped each component as the team winnowed the wine down, ruthlessly cutting barrels and varieties on their way down to the final production. 

We sat there, in near disbelief, as delicious and rare white wines—some Picpoul here, some Vermentino there, a little Sauv Blanc or Pinot Gris—narrowly missed the cut. When all was said and done, the team had their final blend. It amounted to just ten barrels worth of wine.

That means about a dozen barrels of thrilling white wine from all over the state remained, and that’s when we sprung into action. We tasted through them again, and claimed these five barrels for ourselves.

A blend of equal parts Picpoul, a common grape of the Southern Rhône, and Vermentino, this lemon-colored white bursts with lovely aromas of fresh lemon and orange citrus, honeysuckle, ripe papaya, pineapple, crushed rocks, and bay leaf. It’s light and refreshing, with plentiful acidity and flavors of fresh green apple, daffodils, almonds, grapefruit blossom, thyme, sea salt, and garden herbs. The perfect summertime wine— a great accompaniment to fresh swordfish ceviche, Niçoise salad, or oysters.