Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Extremely complex aromas of black currants, violets, oak, cedar, and, yes, Rutherford dust. Very fine and complete, really classy, and already generous. Velvety and complex. These days, this is a relative bargain for a wine of this quality. There's a lot of Merlot in the blend, but I felt compelled to include it anyway.
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Wine Spectator
Shows complex, compelling aromas of ripe plum and black cherry, with subtle cedar and sandalwood notes. Rich, yet elegant and stylish, with excellent balance, a supple texture and a long, fruity aftertaste. The best of three bottles tasted.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The outstanding 2006 Trilogy (73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) is a large production cuvee of 6,500 cases. Revealing lots of roasted herb, cedar, black currant, and sweet cherry notes, an endearing, medium to full-bodied texture, exceptional elegance, purity, and length, stunning balance, and ripe tannins (no easy task in a vintage such as 2006), it should drink well for 10-15 years.
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.