Winemaker Notes
Blend: 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This blends 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc into a seamless expression of black pepper, garrigue, clove and pencil. Old world in style and in full command of its power, it offers generously layered, intensely robust tannin and concentration that flirts with richness. Half barrel-fermented and half stainless-steel, it shows promise for cellaring; enjoy best 2023 through 2038.
Cellar Selection -
James Suckling
A rich and flavorful red with balance and precision for the vintage. Lots of blueberry character with hints of asphalt and sage leaf. Full body. Silky. Excellent winemaking. Drink now.
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Wine Spectator
Hides tannic muscle amid a dense, supple core of anise, black licorice, dusty herb and cedar flavors. A style well-suited for hearty fare and a long decant. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Drink now through 2026.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot and the rest Merlot is the 2013 Proprietary Red Wine, which is all sourced from Napa. Again, terrific up-front fruit – blueberries, blackberries and cassis – an opaque purple color, and hints of cedar wood, forest floor and incense are all present in this multi-layered, rich, concentrated wine, which should also drink well for 12-15 years.
Rating:90+
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.