Winemaker Notes
Saturated purple color with violet at the rim. Fragrant, floral, mouthwatering dark fruit on the nose, with background dusty, smoky aromas. Thick, dense and structured, softening with air exposure and allowing the bright, sweet fruit and cedary aromas and flavors to show. Decanting recommended for early drinking. Ample body, flavor and structure for pairing with richer cuts of beef such as braised short ribs, rack of lamb, pot roasts and stews, or something as simple as a cheeseburger on the grill.
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
35% Malbec; 27% Merlot; 24% Petit Verdot; 8% Cabernet Sauvignon; 6% Cabernet Franc. This nicely married mix of all five of the classic Bordeaux red varieties smells and tastes of black cherries with a bit of cassis lending a darker cast to its ongoing message of fruit and is a deep and optimally ripened offering that is both rich and fairly complex. It is moderately full-bodied and carefully balanced with a well-integrated complement of tannin lending a good sense of tactile grip and the structure for age without imparting so much astringency as to be hard to enjoy in the coming year as a flavorful foil to a well-marbled Porterhouse steak.
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.