Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An array of ripe blackberries and blueberries, blue flowers, chocolate, licorice and pinewood. Some hazelnuts, too. Full body and a firm texture with fine-grained tannins and delicious fruit. Polished and refined with a lingering, velvety mouth-feel. Deep and long. Already really tasty. 71% cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot, 5% cabernet franc, 3% malbec and 3% petit verdot. Drinkable now, but better in 2024.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and the rest a mix of Bordeaux varieties, the 2019 Red Blend Estate Elu is a forward, opulent, undeniably delicious red that has some spicy oak, notes of cassis and tobacco, medium to full body, and ripe tannins. It’s ideal for drinking any time over the coming decade.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
While this isn't the priciest bottling in the St Supery lineup, the 2019 Proprietary Red Elu—a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot—comes across as the most elegant and complete this vintage. It's gently herbal and leafy on the nose but nicely complex, with blueberries and cherries alongside hints of cedar and vanilla. In the mouth, the wine is composed and refined, medium to full-bodied, silky and suave, ending on notes of dark chocolate and cola-like spice.
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.