Winemaker Notes
Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Their proprietary blend, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon LMV Salon, is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. A sweetheart of a wine, it is feminine and sexy, with super-lushness and silkiness, a fabulous integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood, and a full-bodied lusciousness. It is not as profound as the Solari, but in many ways, most consumers would probably prefer it, since it’s so much more accessible and already complex and drinkable. This full-bodied classic is another great example of this first-growth vineyard in northern Napa Valley. Drink it over the next 15 or more 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.