Winemaker Notes
Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Deftly balanced, rich and elegant, with creamy currant, mocha, herb, blackberry and anise flavors, keeping a tight, supple focus and lingering on the finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 1998 Proprietary Red is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit-Verdot, and 1% Malbec. A sexy, up-front, plush wine with a deep purple color, medium to full body, and copious quantities of sweet blackberry, creme de cassis, and meaty notes...
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.