Winemaker Notes
Aromas of licorice, blackberry, raspberry and plum are interwoven with dark chocolate and black olives and highlighted by balsamic notes. The rich, round entry is the perfect entree to this wine of significant depth and length. The weight and concentration are balanced by flavors that are equally deep and elegant with leather notes and savory herbs (thyme) on the finish. The oak is well integrated featuring supple, very fine grain tannins.
Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This vintage of the hearty proprietary blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc highlights the best of the harvest. It's dense with mouth-coating red fruit and a touch of sweetness from oak. As it unwinds, more developed graphite, black olive and dried herb accents come to life. Enjoy 2023-2030.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Proprietary Red Blend Profile, their Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc and usually meant to represent the flagship dry red of the winery, has a dense ruby/purple color, notes of wood char, spice box, blackberry and blueberry, this starts to kick up the level of tannin in this medium to full-bodied, long-term wine.
Rating: 92+ -
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
An excellent effort, the 2013 Merryvale Profile showcases how well the Napa Valley is able to produce Bordeaux-style red blends. This wine compares favorably with efforts from St. Julien and Pauillac. Its black fruit, graphite, and oaky flavors are classic in this category.(Tasted: April 27, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Rambunctious, delivering savory, underbrush-laced earth and blackberry flavors, unfolding to reveal currant, licorice and floral scents. The tannins emerge on the grippy, grainy aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
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.