2016 Picayune Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 750 ml

Insider's Michelin-Star White

We think that the conventional piece of real estate wisdom — that it’s smart to buy the most affordable place in the very best area possible — translates to wine, too. That’s why we’re in love with the Picayune Sauvignon Blanc, a gorgeous $20 California white wine that has staked a claim in the highest-rent district we know: the wine list at The French Laundry. Nestled between the $200 to $425 Napa Sauvignon Blancs from Eisele and Lail (and not too far from the $2,600 Dagueneau rarities) is French-born Claire Weinkauf’s juicy and over-delivering wine, made from declassified Sauvignon Blanc from big-name vineyards in Napa and Sonoma. Claire also has the option of picking the brain of her husband Aron, who crafts Spottswoode’s legendary Bordeaux-style Sauvignon Blanc, also from a combination of Napa and Sonoma fruit. Boasting bright citrus and beautiful freshness, the 2016 vintage of this wine that earned a place on The French Laundry’s lofty list deserves a case’s worth of room in your cellar.

When we can, we like to show Wine Access clients the Napa that only insiders and locals know. We like to take them beyond the pricy vineyard-designate labels to the lunch spots and after-work bars, where deals for top-flight fruit are made friend-to-friend, with a handshake. That’s the spirit of the winery founded by Claire Weinkauf and Jennifer Roberts, who happen to be married to winemakers Aron Weinkauf of Spottswoode and Nathan Roberts of Arnot-Roberts.

Picayune’s sole proprietor is now Claire, whose deep Napa ties have grown extremely strong since she moved to the Valley in 2006. Vintage in and out, the French-born winemaker quietly scores over-achieving fruit from some of the area’s top vineyards. The 2016 Picayune is a gem that shows the best of Napa and Sonoma’s zesty, fresh, and bright Sauvignon Blanc — and most will be snapped up here in Napa, either by dedicated local drinkers stocking their cellars or Michelin 3-star sommeliers looking to add some stunning value to their lists. We’re proud to bring some to you. Secure yours now.

Vanessa Conlin