Winemaker Notes
Deep ruby color and rich hue. The nose is complex and shows layers of fruit flavors. Blueberry, rich plum and red raspberry notes are apparent. Soft notes of vanilla and toast provide aromatic richness. The texture is supple to show off the 2016 vintage. The tannins are lush with long pallet texture. This wine is drinkable now but will continue to award the most discriminating drinkers for several years.
Blend: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
This wine combines 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot, and is aged 16 months in French oak, half of it new. Bright yet supple on the palate, it offers vibrant flavors of cassis, cedar and sweet tobacco.
-
James Suckling
This has some savory aromas with lightly tarry accents, as well as blackcurrant and olive notes. The palate has a juicy, gently grainy feel and delivers a long, flavorful blackcurrant and plum finish. A blend of 68 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 22 per cent merlot and 10 per cent petit verdot. Drink or hold.
-
Wine Spectator
A dark and brawny style, with an alder and espresso frame around a core of dark currant, blackberry and fig paste flavors, all of which meld together slowly through the finish, which picks up a notable loam edge. For fans of the hefty style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2020 through 2030.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Proprietary Red Napa Crest is comprised of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up crushed black cherries, red and black currants and black plums notes on the nose with a touch of cedar chest. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers plenty of juicy fruit and a nice ripe, firm frame, finishing with great length.
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.