Winemaker Notes
Blend: 39% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The delicious, complex 2012 Proprietary Red Blend Claret’s dense ruby/purple color is followed by sweet plum, blackcurrant and black cherry notes intermixed with incense and forest floor. The tannins are soft, the acidity noticeable but not intrusive, and the wine is fleshy, powerful and elegant. It is a gorgeous red to drink now and over the next 8-10 years. Traditionally, this cuvée has been composed of all the Bordeaux varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
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.