Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Vinous
The 2014 Thorevilos offers up an exotic mélange of blue fruits, leather, gravel, incense, licorice and plum. A wine of gravitas and substance, the 2014 is another seriously impressive offering in this range. At ten years of age, it remains youthful, virile and full of life. I admire its statuesque personality and vertical lift. This is the best showing yet for the Thorevilos, a wine that—like many 2014s—has gone through pronounced periods of reticence.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
One of the gems in the lineup is the 2014 Thorevilos and this awesome wine comes from a site on the eastern side of the valley, just behind the luxury Meadowood Estate, and is comprised of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 14% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec. Notes of crème de cassis and blue fruits intermixed with spicy oak, spring flowers, and graphite all emerge from the glass and this crazy good 2014 offers a full-bodied, powerful, yet graceful, elegant style on the palate. It's a gorgeous 2014 that shows the more sexy, approachable style of the vintage, yet has enough tannin to warrant hiding bottles for at least 4-5 years.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Grown on white volcanic ash soil, the deep garnet-purple colored 2014 Thorevilos Proprietary Red has a very meaty nose with charcuterie, beef drippings, truffles and wood smoke over spice cake, blackberry tart, warm blackcurrants, earth and anise plus a waft of cedar chest. The palate is very firm, grainy, lively and taut with loads of earthy/savory layers and great length.
-
Wine Spectator
Steeped in feel, with a core of fig, blackberry and boysenberry fruit showing a heady edge as this throws off mulled spice, anise, mesquite and Turkish coffee notes. Sage, juniper and alder details are buried deeply on the finish, with the fruit easily holding sway. Massive, but distinctive and very detailed. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2021 through 2042.
-
James Suckling
Blackberries, blackberries, licorice and violets. Full and round with a velvety tannin structure and a juicy finish. Chewy and tannic. Needs time to soften. Try in 2020 to let the tannins soften. Blend of cabernet sauvignon (52%), cabernet franc (30%), petit verdot (14%) and merlot (4%).
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.