Winemaker Notes
This wine immediately captures your attention after the initial soft entry dives suddenly into a concentration of dense black fruits (blackberries, figs, and plums) and finishes with gripping tannins. Black fruits, currants, and black licorice dominate the nose. Smoky aromas of tar, cigar box, tobacco pipe complement the fruit notes, along with a hint of fresh herbs and spices. Big and powerful. Lots of baking spices and white pepper coat the finish. Drink/Hold over the next 7-10 years
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
A skyscraper-sized blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 9% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec, this is a generously structured, tannic and bold expression of plum, leather and pencil lead that leans into gamy, black pepper notes as well. Velvety smooth, it has years to go in the bottle. Cellar through 2025.
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.