Terlato Family Vineyards Cardinals' Peak Red 2008 Front Label
Terlato Family Vineyards Cardinals' Peak Red 2008 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

Anthony Terlato, a leader in the wine industry for over 50 years, is a particular devotee of red Bordeaux blends and has been enjoying and cellaring those wines since the early 50s. When he began producing his own wine in California, he wanted to pay tribute to some of his favorite Bordeaux wines with a special selection of varietal blends. And thus the "Peak Series" of wines of Napa Valley Bordeaux blends were born to honor some grand crus of Bordeaux. Cardinals' Peak is the third blend in the series, following the traditions and methods of the Margaux region, which is comprised of a blend principally of Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Merlot. This wine is full-bodied and has the most structure and deepest color of all of the Peak wines.

Professional Ratings

  • 91
    Fruit-forward, showing ripe, sweet blackberry, cherry, blueberry and cocoa flavors, elaborately uplifted by toasty oak. Made in the modern style, it's righ and delicious now.
Image for  content section
View all products
Image for Napa Valley Red Wine content section
View all products

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.

CGM18002_2008 Item# 115326