Region: California - Napa Valley
Grapes: Cabernet
Alcohol: 15.1%
Notes on the Wine
Classic Napa Valley Cabernet aromas of ripe blackberry and red currant are underpinned by an alluring dark forest floor earthiness and a high note of red licorice/candy shop. Valley floor fruit brings mouth-filling plushness to the palate, while concentrated mountain fruit drives through the core. Focused black fruit –cherry, plum, and raspberry –surge long and deep with hints of black olive and freshly cracked pepper. Polished tannins frame and lengthen the palate as a balancing acidity provides a magnifying lift. The finish is long, juicy, and plush with a thrust of grippy tannin, persisting with notes of vanilla bean, warm spice, and toasted hazelnut.
Notes on the Producer
Captivated by wine and dreaming of creating a “California Mouton,” founder Jayson Pahlmeyer was determined to see his vision through. Leaving behind his career in law, he traveled to Northern California (his native soil) where he partnered with the owner of a 55-acre site in south-east Napa Valley. Jayson and his business partner took several trips to elite vineyards in France studying the finest red Bordeaux varieties. Together they worked with the University of Bordeaux to evaluate soil samples from their land in California and in 1981 planted several French cuttings in Napa. In 1986, Pahlmeyer’s Proprietary Red was born, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The 30th vintage of Pahlmeyer’s Proprietary Red was released earlier this year.
