Winemaker Notes
Blend Percentage: Cabernet Sauvignon 86%, Cabernet Franc 7%, Merlot 5%, Malbec 2%
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium brick colour. Intense nose of dried blackberries and cherries laced with complex aromas of coffee grounds, tobacco leaf, cumin and soy. Nice concentration of mature berry and spice fruit balanced by medium to firm, slightly chewy tannins and medium to high acidity. A more structured style of Opus. Very long finish.
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James Suckling
Delicious aromas of chocolate, sweet tobacco, and currants. Full bodied and very soft, with velvety tannins and plenty of fruit. Interesting notes of iodine, lavender, iron, and plum. This is textbook stuff, holding on beautifully. Find the wine
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Wine Spectator
Shows mushroom and wet earth notes that hint at some oxidation, while steeped black currant and black cherry fruit is a shade darker and more robust than most of its siblings in this vertical. Twinges of cedar, walnut and baking spices filter through on the finish, which shows a bit of burly toast and muscular extraction.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.