Winemaker Notes
Blend: 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Inspirado is composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet-purple, it jumps up out of the glass with sit-up-and-beg notes of Morello cherries, boysenberries, preserved plums and wild blueberries plus touches of dried roses, cinnamon stick and yeast extract. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is filled with juicy red and black fruit preserves, with loads of freshness and a grainy texture, finishing with great length and vivacity.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 84% Cab Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cab Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Inspirado comes from some estate fruit as well as purchased fruit, and there are roughly 800 cases made. Blackberries, black raspberries, toasted spice, dried flowers, and a touch of gravelly earth all emerge from this elegant red. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, and balanced, drink it over the coming 10-15 years.
Keever Vineyards happens to always tell a great story through their wines. Started in 1999, this small family owned and operated winery is located in the rocky hills of Napa Valley just southwest of Yountville. They farm a 6.5 acre vineyard planted to four clones of Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc. Their wines are handcrafted by one of California’s top winemakers Celia Welch of Scarecrow, Corra & Buccella fame. Made in very small quantities, their wines are collectable, age-worthy, and stunningly unique.
“Wine is more than our business. We live every day among the vines and barrels, guarding them with care and love. Our stewardship of our land and our wines, our dedication to this craft and our family, result in wines that perfectly express both the seasons past and the dreams to come." -The Keever Family
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.