Winemaker Notes
Deep, dark ink with touches of ruby and Ferrari Red in appearance. An explosion of cedar, salt, rosemary and violet with lavender, roses, blackberries and vanilla extract, lingering of tulips and blueberry pie. Soft entrance evolving on a fruity mid palate with touches of blueberry and blackberry jam, lingering on granular fine tannins with plum and cherry pit.
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An aromatic red with notes of ripe cassis and blackberries, flowers, chocolate and cigar box. Full body, an array of plush, polished tannins and juicy, delicious fruit. Long finish. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 5% cabernet franc, 4% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Try in 2024.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Mostly Cabernet, the value-priced 2019 Red Blend Proprietary Red sports a dense purple color as well as a gorgeous nose of pure creme de cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, and classy oak. Rich, medium to full-bodied, round, and supple, it tastes as if it cost three times the price. Drink it over the coming decades. Best After 2022
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Red Blend is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose delivers impactful scents of cassis, dried herbs, tar and beef drippings, with suggestions of tapenade and fertile loam. Medium to full-bodied, soft, juicy and plush in the mouth, it has a long, savory finish.
The history of the AXR estate is compounded in layers; rooted in historic tales of fierce Native American hunting grounds, wild west pioneers and the first woman vintner of California in 1886. It has changed hands over the course of 134 years to become a brewery, restaurant, inn, winery and saloon. Tales of love, lust, heartbreak, murders and great fortune create an imaginative backdrop to the present-day vision of AXR. Named after the AxR rootstalk (Aramond x Rupestris) that was so prominent in building the modern California wine industry, AXR Winery pays homage to the so-called "roots" of the industry. By utilizing modern and innovative techniques in the cellar, AXR extract the uniqueness of Napa Valley’s soils into wines enjoyable now, or many years from now. They start with hand-picked grapes, naturally fermented in small handcrafted lots, add in the expertise and palette of renowned consulting winemaker Jean Hoefliger, and you have a recipe for stunning wines that promote even better conversations, more laughs, and an invitation for others to join the group!
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.