Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Dark, rich and massive, with gobs of flavor built around vibrant currant, blackberry and wild berry fruit, layers of exotic spicy oak nuances and rather big, ripe tannins. Yet for all its size, it's powerful and balanced, with a long, luxurious aftertaste.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A classic example of a Bordeaux blend, the 2002 Claret possesses an inky/blue/purple color as well as a fabulous perfume of graphite, creme de cassis, smoke, and licorice. It hits the palate with a full-bodied, unctuous texture, tremendous purity, and moderately high tannin in the 40+ second finish.
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.