Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A great effort and a showcase for Cabernet Franc is the 2012 Rapszodia. This is a blend of 90% Cabernet Franc from the heavy clay soils of their vineyard blended with 10% Merlot aged in 100% new French oak for 20 months and bottled without filtration. A stunning nose of acacia flowers, blueberry liqueur and blackberry is followed by a medium to full-bodied wine that’s amazingly intense, rich and concentrated, but surprisingly light on its feet weight-wise. The wine is full-bodied, but stunningly ethereal and sublime. This is a stunner, and a great example of what Cabernet Franc can do from a terrific terroir, great winemaking and élevage. Sadly, only 175 cases were produced. Look for this wine to continue to drink well for up to two decades.
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James Suckling
Extremely subtle aromas with stone, blackberry and fresh mushroom. Full body, very silky. Stone and chocolate. Cool fruit; lots of blue fruits here. Fabulous length and softness. Mostly cabernet franc with a tiny amount of merlot. Gorgeous now, but wait and see.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
One of Napa Valley's most historic sub-appellations, Yountville spreads through some of the valley's ideal cooler sites and enjoys success with a handful of different and significant grape varieties.
Syrah competes strongly with Cabernet Sauvignon here for optimal vineyard real estate followed by Pinot noir, Pinot blanc and Sauvignon blanc.
This sub-AVA of Napa Valley is rich in the history that makes Napa Valley what it is today, and not just for red wines. Moët & Chandon entered the California winemaking business via Yountville in 1973 with the establishment Domaine Chandon. Their goal has always been to produce top quality méthode champenoise sparkling wines.
Christian Moueix, originally responsible for managing Chateau Petrus and La Fleur-Petrus in Pomerol, arrived in Yountville in the early 1980s. He formed a partnership with Rohin Lail and Marcia Smith, inheritors of Napanook vineyard from their father John Daniel of Inglenook in Rutherford. In 1995 Moueix became sole owner of Napanook and chose the name Dominus, which today produces some of Napa’s highest scoring, age-worthy Bordeaux Blends.