Winemaker Notes
Deep, iridescent ruby followed by aromas of rose, cherry blossom, violets, and currant leaf, with notes of black cherry, roasted chestnuts, vanilla, and cocoa. On the palate, flavors of rhubarb, currant, fig, and marzipan with toasty oak notes and, well-integrated tannins.
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of black currants, fresh green bell peppers and violets followed by intense graphite and pencil shaving notes with tobacco leaves, cloves, cedar and underlying gravel minerality Wonderfully structured full-bodied wine with firm yet polished tannins with a bright acid backbone. Very precisely framed. Sound and energetic yet it has a lovely finesse in the mid-palate and finish. A blend of 95% cabernet sauvignon and 5% cabernet franc. Aged for 21 months in 75% new French oak barrels. Give this more time to come around.
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.