Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made up of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, the deep purple-black 2016 Eloge Proprietary Red Wine is provocatively scented of crushed black cherries, red and black currants and kirsch with nuances of Indian spices, cardamom, forest floor, smoked meats and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied and strutting a lot of poise on the palate, it gives layer upon layer of red and black fruits with loads of earthy sparks and a finely textured finish.
Rating: 97+ -
Wine Enthusiast
This blends 66% Cabernet Sauvignon with 28% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Together, they combine for a soft rounded palate of smoky cherry, currant, clove and cinnamon. A light grip of tannin gives it additional power and statement, with a finish of black pepper. Enjoy 2026–2031.
Cellar Selection -
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Eloge Proprietary Red Wine (66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in 55% new oak) has slightly more new oak on the nose as well as plenty of crème de cassis, black cherries, scorched earth and chocolate. It's firm, focused, and tight on the palate, with medium to full body and ripe tannins, but really needs short-term cellaring. It should have 15+ years of overall longevity.
Rating: 91+
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.