Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Bootleg red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The wine is dark crimson in color, dark fruit and raspberry, anise with oak notes on the nose. On the palate the wine has structured tannins with balanced acidity and a savory long finish.
Perfect with steak and BBQ dishes.
Blend: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2017 Red Blend is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend, mostly from mountain sites in Napa Valley and about 11% from Knights Valley in Sonoma. Bold and punchy, the 2017 offers an intriguing combination of inky dark fruit and structure. More than that, though, the 2017 offers tons of pure drinking pleasure at a mid-tier price.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Bootleg Red Wine checks in as 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot that's mostly from Howell Mountain, yet includes fruit from Spring Mountain, Knights Valley, and Diamond Mountain. Plenty of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, cedary herbs, and a touch of chocolate all emerge from the glass of this plump, rounded, undeniably delicious 2017 that does everything right.
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.