2014 Continuum Proprietary Red California Red

2014 Continuum Proprietary Red

99 JS

Featured Review

Fabulous aromas of blueberries, blackcurrants, sage and mint. Lead pencil and graphite, too. Full body and ultra-fine tannins that are slowly transformed to ripe and beautiful fruit. Super polished and textured. Great finish. Drink in 2022, but it's hard not to drink now. This harkens back to the great Mondavi reserves of the 1970s in texture and construction. James Suckling

James Suckling | 99 JS

The 2014 Proprietary Red is comprised of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it is still very primary and comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant crushed blueberries, black cherries, blackcurrants and violets notes with suggestions of dark chocolate, cast iron pan, lavender and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, firm, very finely crafted and possessing great finesse, it finishes long and layered.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

A stunning wine, the 2014 Continuum exudes balance and class. Super-ripe red cherry, kirsch, mocha, menthol and rose petal infuse this beautifully layered, fragrant wine. The 2014 is layered and nuanced to the core, all while maintaining sublime finesse. At the outset, the 2014 is gracious and light on it its feet, but time and air bring out the wine's fruit density. Healthy dollops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot complement the Cabernet Sauvignon nicely. Two thousand-fourteen is also the first vintage that incorporates co-fermented lots.

Vinous Media | 97 VM

This estate red is named after its mountainous locale—a brambly vineyard on Pritchard Hill above Oakville. It combines quite ripe Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot, projecting power and prestige with perfumed violet, dark cherry and savory leather and tobacco notes. Soft, pliable tannins add weight and texture. More time in bottle should add nuance; enjoy 2024–2034.

Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

A touch raw in texture, with a strong showing of spicy, toasty, cedary oak that is unmistakable and dominant, yet more graceful and refined as this develops. Shows currant and blackberry fruit underneath. Ends as it starts, a little ragged, but authentic and forceful. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Drink now through 2030. 3,800 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Tim Mondavi makes this wine from his Pritchard Hill estate, where the vines face west toward Oakville and south toward Napa. The 2014 blends cabernet sauvignon (65 percent) with cabernet franc, petit verdot and merlot. Aging in French oak (68 percent new) shows in the tannins, amplifying the notes of woodsmoke. It’s a warm wine with black-cherry richness, needing bottle age for the tannins to mellow and integrate with the fruit. (3,800 cases)

Wine & Spirits | 90 W&S

Type of Wine	California Red : Whether it's Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Zinfandel, Californian red wine producers have a lovely habit of taking a varietal and expressing its essence in a unique, never before seen way. From Napa Valley to the regions south of Los Angeles, there's a red for everyone - and it's never too late to start exploring.
Varietal	Proprietary Blend : Proprietary Blend is a general term used to indicate that a wine is comprised of multiple grape varietals which are either “proprietary” to the winery or is blended and does not meet the required maximum or minimum percentage of a particular varietal. This also is the case for the grape’s place of origin, especially for region, appellation or vineyard designated wines. There are endless examples of blended wines which are labeled as “Proprietary Blend” and in conjunction with each region’s stipulated wine laws and regulations makes for a vast blanket for wines to fall into. Perhaps the simplest example is California; if a wine is to be labeled as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it is required to have at least 75% of the varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 85% of the fruit must be cultivated from the Napa Valley wine district. If the wine does not meet the requirements, it is then labeled as Proprietary Blend.
Country	US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region	California : With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world's most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region's produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it. While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California's most talented. Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover would die to visit. California's quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine.