Winemaker Notes
Savory and bursting with sweet red and black fruit, the 2014 Proprietary Red is
loaded with personality. Black cherry, licorice, and faint green peppercorn on
the nose. The palate is tight and focused, showcasing violet, lavender, pablano
pepper, atop blue and black fruits with hints of cherry.
Blend: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 10.5% Petite
Verdot, .5% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec, the 2014 Proprietary Red is killer stuff that checks in near the top of the vintage. Deep purple-colored with loads of cassis and black cherry fruit intermixed with notes of chocolate, scorched earth, and subtle graphite, it’s full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, and layered on the palate. It’s a sensational Napa blend from winemaker Helen Keplinger.
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James Suckling
Tile, crushed stones, blueberries, violets, charcoal, dust, orange rind, citrus and bay leaves. Full-bodied with fine and grainy tannins, fresh and crunchy black fruit and a mineral-driven finish with clay undertones. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 10.5% Petit Verdot and 0.5% Malbec, the 2014 Proprietary Red has a deep garnet-purple color and compelling cassis, black cherries, mulberries and plums nose with hints of chocolate box and menthol. Full-bodied and jam-packed with muscular black fruit, it has a very firm, ripe, fine-grained tannic backbone and a long, pure-fruited finish.
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.