Winemaker Notes
Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 2.7% Malbec, 1.3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The proprietary red wine made by Pahlmeyer is usually a blend of 75%-80% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and a tiny quantity of Malbec. The 1994 Proprietary Red Wine exhibits a purple/black color, as well as sweet, integrated tannin, a gorgeous blackcurrant, toast, tar, and licorice-scented nose, fabulous texture, and a 35-45 second finish. The 1994 may be slightly sweeter in the mid-palate than the 1995, but the differences are negligible. The abundant tannin is mostly concealed by the wine's wealth of fruit, glycerin, and alcohol. This wine should drink well from the late nineties through the first two decades of the next century. Very impressive!
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Wine Spectator
Ripe, complex and full-bodied, with pretty currant, black cherry, spice and cedary oak flavors that continue to develop far into the finish. The tannins are a little rough around the edges, but they're not out of line for a wine this young.
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.