Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Tenacious Proprietary Red, a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc (somewhat Right Bank Bordeaux), is a much larger cuvée of just under 1,000 cases. This wine shows notes of Christmas fruitcake, spice box, licorice, underbrush and black cherry and blackcurrant fruit in a medium-bodied, elegant and pure style. It should drink nicely for 10-12 years.
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Wine Spectator
Bold aromas of plush black cherry and toasty mocha combine with dense, complex flavors of currant, mineral and cedar. Big tannins frame the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2018 through 2025.
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.