Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2004 Salon is a proprietary blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot and 3% Malbec. It possesses a youthful dense purple color along with an explosive nose of spring flowers, black raspberries and black currants, a touch of graphite, but no evidence of oak. The wine boasts extraordinary opulence and complexity, multiple dimensions, endless depth and richness, and perfect balance. This compelling 2004 is one of the superstars of the vintage. Approachable now, it should age for 20-30+ years, possibly as long as 50 years.
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.