Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2010 Proprietary Red Terzetto, a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, is a fruit-forward, hedonistic red offering lots of strawberry and black cherry fruit, a forest floor-like character, sweet tannin and round, medium to full-bodied flavors. No doubt the Cabernet Franc provides uplift and ethereal complexity to the wine’s interesting aromatics. With beautiful sweet tannin, some sucrosity and plenty of appeal, it will drink well for 8-12 years.
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Wine Enthusiast
his elegant Terzetto is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot from the Chiles Valley District on the far eastern side of Napa Valley. The grapes are grown organically by the Eisele family, who have farmed these parts for 40 years. Dusty red fruit entice from the beginning, unveiling a soft, round and drinkable wine with the structure to age until 2024–2029.
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.