Winemaker Notes
Blend: 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Four Bordeaux varieties work as a team in this bottling to deliver aromas of blackberry jam, caramel, roasted cocoa, peppercorn and dark soil. There's great cohesion to the palate, where black cherry, hints of root beer and purple flowers ride buoyant acidity and chalky tannins.
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.
The warmest part of the greater San Benito AVA, but cooler than the Central Valley, the Paicines appellation excels in the production of concentrated and high-quality, red Bordeaux varietal wines and blends.