Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
The royal carmine hue makes this wine look all the more stately. First introduced in 1985, this Meritage blend continues to cast a spell and blends all five Bordeaux grape varieties. The mélange consists of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cab Franc from lots off the 240-acre Oakville Franciscan Estate vineyard. The wine spent 20 months in oak. The aromas triggered a mountain forest: sage, jasmine, truffle and cherry wood. I salute this particular vintage for its fleshy, satiny texture with a firm structure. Flavors are layered with cinnamon, lavender, blueberry-boysenberry and caramel-mocha coffee.
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James Suckling
A fruit-forward style but not one that's overdone with plenty of plum and currant character. Full body and a velvety finish. Blend of mostly cabernet with merlot, malbec, 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.