Winemaker Notes
In this iconic blend, Cabernet Sauvignon provides the backbone, structure, character and aging potential with succulent fruit and rich tannins, while Cabernet Franc instills a mellowed complementary balance and early approachability to the wine with beautiful aromatics, silky texture and an elegant finesse.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Similar in style to the 1996, the 1995 reveals an opaque purple color, remarkably sweet tannin for a wine from this vintage, and gorgeous levels of black currant fruit nicely complemented by toast, smoke, and floral scents. This rich, medium to full-bodied wine fills the mouth without any sense of heaviness or harshness.
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.