Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows wonderful blackberry, smoked meat and forest floor undertones. White pepper. Full body, very fine tannins and lots of spice, dark fruit and meat on the aftertaste. A refined and subtle syrah.
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Wine Spectator
Elegantly complex, supple and well-built. Aromas of smoky meat, tapenade and dark raspberry combine with expressive flavors. A hint of mint lingers alongside the plush, ripe tannins. Drink now through 2028.
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.