Winemaker Notes
Blend: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Gorgeous fruit here yet reserved and subtle. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a long and intense finish. The tannin quality and length is so pretty. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
Beginning with a velvety texture and inviting bouquet of strawberry and rose, this classic blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot is grown on the winery's 845-acre estate atop Spring Mountain. Kirsch, black pepper and chocolate combine atop a smooth, integrated palate that's elegant from start to finish, the oak tempered to good effect. Drink now through 2027.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2012 Spring Mountain Vineyard Elivette recalls two of my favorite Bordeaux appellations—St. Julien and Margaux. The former with its firmness and the latter with is delicate floral notes. This wine's elegance is just beginning to reveal itself. Time will bring it into greater focus and complexities. (Tasted: January 12, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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.