Winemaker Notes
Ruby red in color with a dense purple hue.
Licorice and cassis dominate the aromas but there are delicate hints of mint, coffee and vanilla.
Smooth and round in the palate this wine has density with elegance, power and grace. Long finish with balanced acidity.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A brilliant Bordeaux blend, just captivating for its lush fruit, elegance and classy balance. Remarkable for the integrity of tannins, so sturdy and refined, so pure and sweet. A feminine wine, to judge by its soft allure, and yet packed with power and integrity. Beautiful now, although it's easily one for the next five to seven years. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.
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Wine Spectator
A stylish Bordeaux style blend that works on finesse and polish at the expense of power and thrust, resulting in a refined, complex, detailed wine of considerable flavor and dimension, ending with a smooth, soothing aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2012 through 2023.
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Wine & Spirits
A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot, Elevage is a full, generous red in 2007. It's brimming with cool blue fruit and bitter chocolate tannins, finishing soft, spicy and long. Ready for filet mignon.
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.