Winemaker Notes
This is the second year we have made this wine at TOR. The combination of Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot has produced a wine unlike any other wines we made in 2015. This wine has a slightly more rich profile than the 2014, but still with the structure and complexity that the blend of these varietals bring to the mix. Think of this wine as a La Mission Haut Brion meets Oakville in all the best possible ways.
Blend: 44% Cabernet Franc, 44% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A blend of 44% Cabernet Franc, 44% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that’s from two sites in Oakville, the 2015 Oakville Proprietary Red boasts a deep ruby/purple color as well as locked and loaded notes of black raspberries, blackcurrants, toasty oak, white flowers, underbrush, and incense. This incredibly concentrated, deep, unctuous, and seamlessly textured 2015 has moderate acidity, ripe, sweet tannin, fabulous purity of fruit, and a huge finish. It will be better with short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.
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James Suckling
Tight and dense, yet it shows energy and focus. Full-bodied, firm and very chewy. Slightly austere, too. A solid and enticing wine made of an eccentric blend of 44% cabernet franc, 44% petit verdot and 12% cabernet sauvignon (To Kalon vineyard). A crazy fun wine.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 44% Cabernet Franc, 44% Petit Verdot and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Proprietary Red has a nose of cedar box, cassis, blue fruits, herbs and chargrill with touches of tar and black pepper. The palate is full-bodied, firm, grainy and very earthy/savory with a provocative menthol lift on the finish. 375 cases produced.
Rating: 94+ -
Wine Spectator
Firm, rich and polished, with an elegant array of dark berry and licorice flavors and floral and berry scents, making for a graceful, easy-to-like charmer. Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2019 through 2030.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.