Winemaker Notes
On the nose, the 2019 LMV Salon captures the aromas of summer on the estate, redolent of fields of wild violets, cedarwood, bramble fruits, and cassis. A gentle herbal spice evolves in the glass offering notes of mocha, spiced rum, and black cherries. This is a powerful wine that envelops your mouth with richness and luxury: structured and muscular tannins become velvety as they grace the palette. The texture of this wine is unforgettable and will continue to evolve with great elegance with time in the cellar.
Blend: 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A nearly equal partnership of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the herbal, earthy goodness of the Franc is in fine form here, aromatic in violet and cedar notes as well. Grippy tannin underscores its ageworthy consideration, the wine woodsy and subtle in cassis and dark cherry, with a finishing touch of graphite and rock. Enjoy best from 2029 through 2039.
Cellar Selection -
James Suckling
Ripe-plum, berry and black-cherry aromas. Some tar, too. Clear. Medium-bodied with medium, round tannins and a creamy, polished finish. Very attractive now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2019 LMV Salon bursts with bold scents of crème de cassis and blueberry preserves, plus underlying notes of wild sage, camphor and pencil shavings and a waft of raspberry leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the vibrant red berry palate is tightly knit with fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant.
Rating: 94+ -
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 LMV Salon started out slightly closed and reticent yet opened up nicely with air, offering plenty of dark fruits, chocolate, tobacco and leafy herb notes. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Cabernet Franc, this medium to full-bodied, ripe, incredibly charming effort has some coarser tannins yet still brings lots of fruit and texture. Give it a few years.
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Wine Spectator
Dark and winey, with steeped plum and black currant fruit laced with warm earth and singed cedar. A subtle savory edge adds cut to the finish. A touch old school in the end.
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.