Atlas Peak Claret 2005
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The Atlas Peak 2005 Claret is an intricate blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc that combines power, structure and elegance. The 2005 Claret is quite possibly the best edition we have produced thus far. Its inky dark color, luscious blueberry and ripe cherry fruit, plush mouthfeel and bold tannins will reward cellaring. This wine pairs beautifully with Steak au Poivre and roasted red potatoes.
57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot, 12% Merlot, 11% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Franc
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Very sweet in fruit and refined in texture, a softly gentle wine to enjoy now and over the next six years. Shows lots of blackberry, cherry, orange zest, licorice and sandalwood flavors, wrapped into rich, silky tannins.
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is one of life’s great pleasures. Luscious berry fruit, multi-layered tannins, refined herbal notes and silky texture all combine to transport the wine lover to this incomparable California region, an area famous for long-lived red wines that offer wave after wave of drinking pleasure.
Some of the world’s best vineyards dot the mountain tops, hillsides, and lowlands of the Napa Valley. Framing the valley are the cornerstone mountain appellations of Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain District, and Mount Veeder. These areas provide ideal growing conditions for crafting bold, well-structured, ruggedly elegant wines—wines that can only come from great fruit and hard work in hard-to-reach places.
To craft the Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon, the winemakers work closely with vineyard partners to source the finest grapes from mountaintop and lower-elevation vineyards. They weave the fruit into a richly textured tapestry supported by a firm structure—a true “taste of Napa.” This wine, with its substantial length and enduring finish, bears testament to the elegance and refinement of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
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.