Winemaker Notes
Jeff’s favorite Oakville Proprietary so far. It is the traditional blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc, but incredibly complete and harmonious thanks to the co-fermentation and the early blending of the Cabernet Franc. A wine of remarkable structure, sumptuous depth and great energy, with an array of black and blue fruits layered with sesame, espresso, orange peel and oolong tea.
Blend: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, 25% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a block of super fine tannins and intense fruit. Full and intense with lots of fruit, yet it’s reserved and muscular. Blackberries, black licorice and blueberries. Super blend of cabernet sauvignon and petite verdot with a splash of cabernet franc. Co-fermented. Drink in 2022.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Oakville Proprietary Red Wine is a gorgeous wine based on co-ferments from two great sites in Oakville and is a mix of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in new barrels. It has a rich, opulent bouquet of cassis and blackcurrant fruits intermixed with plenty of chocolate, spice, loamy earth, and dried herb aromas and flavors. It's a beautiful, seamless, full-bodied 2017 that has great tannin quality, plenty of mid-palate depth, and more length than most in the vintages. It’s going to evolve for two decades or more.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This Proprietary red is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc and 25% Petit Verdot. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot from Vine Hill Ranch were co-fermented. Then this co-ferment was blended with the Cabernet Franc early in the season. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Oakville Proprietary Red Wine comes strutting out of the glass with notions of baked plums, blackcurrant pastilles and wild blueberries plus hints of iron ore, tilled soil, bay leaves and tree bark with a touch of Sichuan pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegant, refreshing and crunchy, with tons of energy and a lovely chewy edge coming through on the finish. 125 cases were made.
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.