Winemaker Notes
This is a classic Cinq Cepages with signature notes of blackberry jam, red raspberry, milk chocolate and violet. The palate offers a rich, dark fruit density surrounded by well-structured tannins. Layers of generous black plum and fresh-picked blackberries combine with notes of black tea and mocha. This wine has beautiful oak integration anda lushness throughout that leads to a lingering finish with hints of blackberry and clove.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Showing the usual balance and harmony of this bottling, which is made from the five Bordeaux varieties, the '06 nonetheless lacks a bit of the richness of other vintages. It's beautifully clean and dry, with sound currant, blackberry, herb tea and cedar flavors, but is missing a certain fatness in the middle. Best now–2012.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cepages (in this vintage, truly a Cabernet Sauvignon rather than a proprietary red as it is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot) possesses soft, seductive notes of cedarwood, roasted herbs, licorice, red and black currants, and dusty, loamy soil undertones. Medium to full-bodied and silky-textured, it can be enjoyed in its youth or cellared for a decade.
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.