Winemaker Notes
Blend: 38% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
A bold expression of an elegant, yet richly layered blend of Bordeaux grape varieties, the polished 2014 Blackbird Vineyards Arise glides smoothly and substantively on the palate. The wine's richness pairs it well with a shallot-accented grilled ribeye. (Tasted: September 1, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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Connoisseurs' Guide
38% Merlot; 32% Cabernet Sauvignon; 30% Cabernet Franc. Merlot makes its mark clearly here as the wine keys on emphatic, fairly succulent black cherry fruit, but its Cabernet components provide structural solidity and extend its reach with complexing touches of cassis and sweet, loamy soil while a nicely fit dollop of creamy oak adds yet another layer of interest. Fairly obvious tannins warn off early drinking, but this impressively filled wine is exceptionally well-balanced and already shows a nascent sense of polish that is hard to miss, and it has the makings of a most memorable match for red meats running from a medium-rare rack of lamb to a juicy, standing rib roast once another three to five years have passed.
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Wine Enthusiast
This blends 38% Merlot with 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc. Together these find a healthy companionship of wood, cedar, currant and dried herb, allowing the two Cabernets to speak loudest. Lightly spicy nutmeg and clove linger around well-defined layers of cherry and vanilla.
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James Suckling
Aromas of plums, earth and spices follow through to a full body and tight and firm tannins. Structured and powerful. Needs a few year to soften. Better in 2020.
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.