Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2000 Jericho Canyon Vineyard Proprietary Red (a 2,500-case blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot) is atypically full-bodied and powerful for the vintage. While it may not possess the complexity of the 1999, it offers copious quantities of black fruits, licorice, and coffee. The wine is dense and supple, with sweet tannin and a long finish.
Range: 90-92 -
Wine Enthusiast
Smooth and velvety, with rich aromas and flavors of toast and cassis that glide elegantly across the palate. The tannins are soft and the acids seem low, making it attractive to drink now.
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.