Winemaker Notes
Blend: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Blended of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, the 2013 Proprietary Red is deep garnet-purple colored and displays a bold, rock-star nose of crème de cassis, Chinese five spice, iron ore, sage and bay leaves with grilled meat and tilled soil nuances plus a waft of wood smoke. Full, super concentrated, rich and powerful, this opulent beauty is built like a brick house with a solid frame and a long, mineral-laced finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The blend of the 2013 Proprietary Red Continuum is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot. This was aged in about 80% new French oak for 20 months prior to bottling. In his technical notes he said that 30% of production was declassified. A flawless, potential masterpiece in the making, the dense ruby/purple color, beautiful notes of blueberry, black cherry, graphite and a touch of earth and background smoke are followed by a full-bodied wine with gorgeous integration of acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol. The tannins are present and substantial, but silky and well-integrated. This is a tour de force from Tim Mondavi and his team – a masterpiece of power and finesse that, although approachable now, should age gracefully for at least another 25-30 years.
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Wine Spectator
Spicy oak adds suppleness and a hazelnut and sandalwood character to the texture of fine-grained earth and flavors of espresso, savory berry and underbrush. Impressively delicate, balanced and refined. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2017 through 2027
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.