Winemaker Notes
Blend: 50% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Lastly, the 2013 Proprietary Red Blend High Fidelity, which is their most powerful wine at 15.2% natural alcohol, is a blend of 50% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot. This might not be as nuanced and complex as some of the other wines, but it’s big, powerful, juicy, rich and full. The color is dense purple and the finish quite long. I think more nuance will emerge as this wine has bottle age. This is impressive for sure. Drink now through 2030+.
Rating: 95+ -
Wine Spectator
Powerfully built and wrapped in a silky texture, with aromas of cherry, mocha and bell pepper, and dense, complex flavors of currant and grilled sweet anise. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.
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.