Winemaker Notes
This wine captures the best of "five varieties". The depth and dark fruit of Cabernet Sauvignon, supple texture of Merlot, spice of Cabernet Franc, roasted coffee of Malbec, and intense color of Petite Verdot.
Black cherry, cassis, chocolate, blueberry and spice fill the nose of this Cabernet Sauvignon blend. On the palate, concentrated flavors of bittersweet chocolate, blackberry, coffee, toasted oak and tobacco provide this complex wine with a smooth, savory finish.
Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, 3% Petite Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The dark ruby/purple-colored 1996 Cinq Cepages (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot) exhibits a moderately intense nose of black cherries, chocolate, smoke, dried herbs, and toasty oak. As reported last year, it appears to be California's version of a big, rich St.-Emilion. Offering elegance and finesse along with copious quantities of fruit, glycerin, and flavor, this medium to full-bodied wine has evolved nicely over the last year.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.