Winemaker Notes
Wines from hillsides of Promontory reflect the many aspects of the territory: the native forests, the moisture of the ephemeral fog, and the minerality of the geologic underpinnings. These disparate facets in symphony provide a natural balance of freshness, energy, and tannin. They believe these traits, in wine, are the building blocks of great vitality and long life.
Professional Ratings
-
Vinous
The 2013 Penultimate is a dark, brooding beauty that captures all the qualities of the Grand Vin, if I can use that phrase, but in a slightly more accessible style that can be enjoyed with just a few years in bottle. Iron, incense, tar, espresso, licorice and dark fruit all meld together in a powerhouse Cabernet Sauvignon that expresses the essence of place and the year in its muscular personality. Time brings out the wine’s natural power, but intense saline and mineral underpinnings remain constants. This is a super-impressive debut.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.