Keith Bentz spent his sophomore year at Stanford at the university’s campus in Tours, in the Loire Valley, where some of France’s most celebrated white wines are grown. There, he fell in love with the Sauvignon Blancs, which are Loire Valley’s signature varietal, and for years, he dreamed of owning a vineyard of his own.
So when the opportunity came to buy 40 acres in the eastern part of the Valley, Keith jumped at the chance—especially since the land was a flat 13-acre field ideal for planting a vineyard and a permit for building a 39-acre-foot pond for irrigation. He planted two clones of Sauvignon Blanc and one of Sauvignon Musqué, and for 20 years, sold grapes to some of the best-known wineries in the Valley, getting consistently rave reviews for the quality of the fruit.
Then, in 2020, Mario Sculatti, a long-time family friend and co-owner of Vault Wine+Artifacts in Calistoga, came to Keith with a proposal: “Let’s create a premium, single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc of our own, sourced exclusively from grapes from your vineyard.”
Left: Mario Sculatti with daughter Aurelia; Center: AURELIA wine; Right: Keith Bentz
Because Mario had already proven himself a highly skilled winemaker in his own right, this was a chance to make a lifelong dream come true. Mario learned the art of winemaking from the late Denis Malbec, the former Cellar Master of Chateau Latour. Today, he carries on Malbec’s techniques meticulously at each stage of the winemaking process. Making premium wine comes naturally to Mario. His grandfather Gaetano was ranch manager for all of Beringer’s vineyards, and his father Ron was part of the winemaking team that made the1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, famous for outscoring French wines in the “Judgment of Paris.”
So together, Keith and Mario, with the support of Keith’s son Adam and partner Trevor Mallett, created AURELIA—the only wine brand in the Napa Valley making exclusively single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. Mario and Trevor have been pouring the 2021 AURELIA by the glass for customers at their Vault tasting room in Calistoga for several months—and everyone who’s tried it has raved about it.
What people love about AURELIA is that it’s not one of those light, dry, acidic New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blancs. In the Bordeaux Blanc style, AURELIA is full-bodied and bold, with an elegant balance and complexity. It’s a bright, beautifully structured wine with a vivid palate and mouthwatering acidity. When one tastes AURELIA, they will savor flavors of fresh lemongrass, lemon curd tart, and fragrant honeysuckle—enhanced by citrus bloom from new oak barrels.
Another attribute that makes AURELIA unique among Napa Valley Sauvignon Blancs is that it’s blended from two-thirds Sauvignon Blanc and one-third Sauvignon Musqué grapes. This blending of clones gives AURELIA a subtle depth and richness, with delicate aromas of Napa Valley wildflowers.
There are only a few cases of the 2021 AURELIA left, and bottles are available to purchase by the case, half case, or three-bottle minimum order, either online (www.aureliawine.com) or stop by Vault Wine + Artifacts in Calistoga (1124 Lincoln Ave.) to savor a glass before buying.
