Winemaker Notes
Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot
Certified Sustainable.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Vintage Reserve checks in as a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot, all aged 20 months in 65% new French oak. Deep ruby/purple-colored with a stunning nose of currants, Asian spices, tobacco, and graphite, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, deep, layered, yet seamless profile. Like all the wines here, it doesn't lack for tannin or structure, yet it's beautifully balanced and has an awesome finish. This is an incredibly classic, old-school Cabernet Sauvignon that's going to hit maturity around age 6-8 and cruise for two decades or more.
Rating: 96+ -
James Suckling
This blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 11% cabernet franc, 6% malbec, 6% petit verdot and 1% merlot has a deep thread of ripe blackberries and plums, as well as mulberries. The oak adds plenty of sweet spice and the tannins are very well groomed. The 2015 vintage is doing great things here. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Proprietary Red Vintage Reserve gives notes of fertile soil, tar and chargrill to begin, leading to a core of crushed black plums, cassis and blackberry pie plus hints of menthol, cedar, mocha and black olives. Full-bodied and with bags of black fruit and earthy flavors, it has a firm, grainy frame and plenty of freshness, finishing long and savory.
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Wine Enthusiast
This robust, well-aged wine combines 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot. Cherry, vanilla and smoke complement an underbelly of dried herb, char and spice. The body is full, soft and richly rounded in flavor.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Perhaps the most historically significant appellation in Sonoma County, the Sonoma Valley is home to both Buena Vista winery, California's oldest commercial winery, and Gundlach Bundschu winery, California's oldest family-run winery.
It is also one of the more geologically and climactically diverse districts. The valley includes and overlaps four distinct Sonoma County sub-appellations, including Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley. With mountains, benchlands, plains, abundant sunshine and the cooling effects of the nearby Pacific, this appellation can successfully produce a wide range of grape varieties. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, and most notably, Zinfandel all thrive here. Ancient Zinfandel vines over 100 years old produce small crops of concentrated, spicy fruit, which in turn make some of the Valley's most unique wines. These can also be made as “field blends” (wines made from a mix of grape varieties grown in the same vineyard) along with Petite Sirah, Carignan and Alicante Bouschet.