Winemaker Notes
There's a deep purple hue that extends to the edge of the glass. Vibrant, pure aromas of red cherry, dried sage, violets, and freshly tilled earth fill the glass. The wine is soft on the palate with flavors of crushed raspberry, dried blueberry, cocoa powder and black tea. A distinct note of minerality is evident, along with the fine textured, mouth-filling tannins that linger through the finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Amulet Estate's top-end wine is the simply named 2021 Red Wine. It showcases winemaker Shawn Johnson's ability to select and blend his best barrels from Stags Leap, Oakville, Rutherford and St. Helena, although it's 100% Cabernet Sauvignon in this vintage. Mixed red and black cherries join lovely spice notes and hints of dusty earth on the striking yet harmonious nose, while the full-bodied palate is richly concentrated and velvet textured. It's an intense thrill ride, tannic but ripe, with a long, exhilarating finish.
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James Suckling
Ripe blackcurrants, plum skins, walnut, pine wood and spices. A little earthy, too. Full-bodied and velvety with tight-grained tannins and chalky texture. Slightly chewy with a dry earthy finish.
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.