Winemaker Notes
Immediate aromatics escape the glass including blueberry, Mirabelle plum, ripe raspberry, Bing cherry and enchanting musk. On entry, the wine is seamless and enveloping with notes of Black plum, sweet cassis and blueberry compote on the mid-palate. Textured and long on the finish, the wine closes with a hint of dried lavender and dark chocolate.
About the Label
The label was inspired by a collage displayed in the living room of a designer in Milan. The winemaker spent years collecting the imagery and individually piecing the snips together. Nearly four years later, his original work of art was finally completed.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Proprietary Red Abstract leaps from the glass with a pretty perfume of chocolate-covered cherries, stewed plums and kirsch with hints of Chinese five spice, menthol and Ceylon tea plus a waft of wild sage. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has lovely purity with juicy black and red berry flavors and a soft texture, finishing with a minty lift.
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!