Winemaker Notes
Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, I originally rated this 650-case cuvee 94 points. It is a lighter, softer, more velvety textured version of the 1999. A dense plum/purple color is followed by sweet cranberry, black raspberry, roasted herb, coffee bean, white chocolate and subtle barbecue smoke characteristics. This medium to full-bodied, velvety textured, fully mature 2000 should offer beautiful drinking for another decade.
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Wine Spectator
Enticing aromatics of blackberry, floral and mocha-laced oak, dark, ripe, rich and polished, with a tasty core of blackberry, plum and wild berry fruit. Smooth, with a long, spicy, focused finish. Tannins are well-integrated into the finish. Wonderful balance and harmony. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
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.