Proprietary Blend Wines

wines

Gorgeous from the get-go, with toasted sesame, green tea, walnut husk, pistachio cream and peanut toffee notes seamlessly layered atop one another, framed by a subtle singed alder hint. Everything glides with grace through the finish like a gently wafting plume of smoke off burning incense. Drink now. 750 cases made, 220 cases imported. — JMWine Spectator | 98 WS(Taylor Fladgate Single Harvest Tawny (bottled 2017) Fortified/spirits) The 1968 Single Harvest Tawny, which was bottled in 2017, has a slightly pallid bouquet that just needs more presence: nutmeg, clove, marmalade and smoke, but I would have liked more intensity here. The palate is much better, finally the energy and ambition appears! Here we encounter Chinese 5-spice, dried orange peel, cloves, curry powder and star anise. There is real flourish on the finish, a Tawny that starts slow but ends on a real high. This comes highly recommended. Tasted at the "Big Fortified Tasting" in London. (Drink between 2018-2030)Vinous Media | 92 VM

Close to perfection, the saturated blue/black-colored 1997 Maya exhibits complex aromatics of creme de cassis, smoke, spice box, iron, and espresso. The wine has a viscous texture, huge, concentrated, ripe fruit, remarkable body, and a seamless, multi-layered finish. The tannin, acidity, and alcohol are all beautifully integrated. This is profound stuff! Anticipated maturity: 2005-2030.Robert Parker | 99 RPSaturated full ruby. Explosive aromas of blackberry, black cherry, bitter chocolate, camphor, black licorice and violet. Extremely dense and thick without being heavy. Superb flavor intensity and depth. The thoroughly ripe tannins coat the entire palate. The slow-mounting, extremely long finish offers wonderful grip and vibrancy. A great vintage for Maya.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve (15.5% alcohol; 100% Grenache) is a wine of magnificent intensity as well as majestic texture and richness. Layers of concentrated fruit cascade over the palate. Opaque purple-colored and extremely full-bodied, with a gorgeous nose of minerals, white flowers, black fruits, pepper, and garrigue, this sumptuous, seamless 2000 Chateauneuf must be tasted to be believed. I have had this wine a half dozen times in blind tastings that included some of the finest 2000 Chateauneuf du Papes, and it consistently ranks as one of the top 2 or 3 wines in the tastings. Then again, I'm looking at its overall potential as it is not the most forward or evolved of the 2000 Chateauneuf du Papes. It is a magnificent tour de force in winemaking. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.Robert Parker | 99 RP

Among the most saturated blue/purple/black-colored examples of the vintage, Taylor's 2000 tastes like a young vintage of Chateau Latour on steroids. Aromas of graphite, blackberry liqueur, creme de cassis and smoke jump from the glass. Spectacularly concentrated and enormously endowed, with sweetness allied to ripe tannin, decent acidity, and layer upon layer of fruit and extract, this is the leading candidate for the port of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040.Robert Parker | 98 RPThis was perhaps the most prototypically “Taylor” wine of the vertical, with complex floral and spice aromas backed by firm, black cherry and berry fruit. The fruit is fresh and almost crunchy in character, underscored by solid tannins and a long, dusty finish. Immense power combines with intricate nuance and a supremely ageworthy structure. Hold.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBright deep ruby. Brooding, complex aromas of cassis, minerals, graphite, licorice and damp earth; distinct hints of surmaturite. Dense, chewy and powerful, with a saline impression of extract. At once strong and seamless, with penetrating, youthfully primary black fruit flavors that really expand and reverberate in the mouth and on the very long, gripping finish. Exhilarating late note of dark chocolate. By no means a painfully backward Taylor, but structured to evolve for at least 25 to 30 years.Vinous Media | 95+ VMBeautiful aromas of honeysuckle, violets, citrus and berries, plus hints of fresh herbs. Full-bodied and chewy, with refined tannins and a long finish. Lasts for minutes on the palate. An elegant, yet powerful and fruity style of young Taylor. Best after 2012. 14,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Taylor Fladgate) The 2000 Taylor is a classic in the making, and while it does not possess quite the same flamboyance as the 2000 Vinhas Velhas, it will make a superb bottle at maturity. The bouquet displays typical Taylor reticence in its complex blend of cassis, black cherries, plums, tar, bitter chocolate, black pepper, earth and violets. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and structured, with a rock solid core of fruit, firm tannins, excellent acids, and a very long, very primary finish. The grip here is classic Taylor- firm, uncompromising and built to age gracefully for at least fifty years. This is a great vintage of Taylor in the making. (Drink between 2025-2100)John Gilman | 94 JG

Still a young wine at age 12, the 2001 Insignia exhibits a dense purple color along with a sweet bouquet of camphor, blackberries, cassis, incense and spring flowers. Full-bodied, rich and heady with sweet tannin, stunning concentration and a fabulous finish, this remarkable Insignia has 25 or more years of life ahead of it.A whopping 18,000 cases were made of this great vintage of Insignia, a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec (the first vintage of Insignia with no Merlot included). Seventy-three percent came from the estate vineyards and 27% from growers. The 2001 spent 23 months in new French oak, and the alcohol came in at 13%. The year began impressively, with warm weather early-on followed by heat spikes in May that continued off and on through July. Both August and September were cooler than normal, but in early October, Napa Valley experienced temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit for seven straight days. As I have written previously, 2001 has turned out to be a great vintage, and the heat spikes that can be so devastating did not have much of a deleterious effect on the grapes, perhaps because many had already been or were in the process of being harvested.Robert Parker | 98+ RPA triumph. Aged nearly two years in all-new French oak, this massive wine stuns with its superb balance. Manages the elusive challenge of reining in hugely ripe black currant, cherry and oak flavors and sweet tannins while keeping the palate impression soft and alluring, almost feminine. Just gorgeous right out of the bottle, but should develop effortlessly through the decade and beyond.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE(from an early harvest, like 2015; the first vintage of a ten-year spell without any Cabernet Franc): Dark red with ruby highlights. The aromas of currant, graphite minerality and dark chocolate convey an inviting warmth. Wonderfully suave, fleshy and sweet, especially for its 13.9% alcohol. Deep, broad flavors of raspberry, sandalwood and soy are energized by a subtle mineral quality and harmonious acidity. Outstanding intensity and tight grain here. Finishes with serious but integrated tannins that spread out horizontally on the very long finish. This wonderfully balanced, still-young wine has clearly benefited from the firming influence of its 8% Petit Verdot element, the highest to this point. Incidentally, this was the last vintage of the Insignia with measurable brettanomyces--but it works for me!Vinous Media | 95+ VMThis is a great vintage of Insignia, which means it's a great Napa Cabernet that will last for decades. The balance is amazing, incorporating beautiful red fruit deepening to black cherry and darker berry, a lot of alcohol and a lot of oak holding it structured and strong. The texture is flawless, with tannins adding richness and earthy notes of black Stags Leap District soil. Those tannins seamlessly support the sweet blend of Cabernet with a touch of Petite Verdot (8%) and Malbec (3%) extending the clean berry flavors long after each sip.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&S

A brilliant showing for Christian Moueix’s well-known Napanook Vineyard, the 2001 Dominus is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. A classic in the making, this is a flawless, seamless example of elegant, complex Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that possesses a Bordeaux-like personality. This gorgeous, sexy, opulent, dense ruby/purple-colored wine reveals sweet caramel, mocha, creme de cassis and kirsch notes intermixed with a hint of espresso roast as well as underbrush. Ripe, long and full-bodied with well-integrated tannin, acidity, alcohol and wood, this prodigious 2001 is drinkable now and over the next 25+ years given this estate’s longevity track record. A virtually perfect wine, it is one of the most complex 2001s at present.Robert Parker | 98 RPAs good as the 2001 Napanook is, this wine is more intense. The fruit is lusher, the oak newer, the control more complete, but the kicker is the tannins. They’re powerful and dusty, and conceal the flamboyance, for now. Needs time.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEGood ruby-red. Superripe aromas of plum, cherry, licorice, mocha, smoke and minerals. At once sweet and gripping, with very intense, nuanced flavors of cherry, plum, currant, tobacco, minerals and currant leaf. Despite the very high pH of 4.01, this shows no shortage of energy in the mouth. A muscular, firmly tannic, serious wine for aging. (A second sample that had been decanted for four hours prior to my visit was sweeter and more seamless, but still showed solid tannic spine.)Vinous Media | 93+ VM(Dominus Estate, Napa Valley, California, USA, Red) A mature and somewhat torrefied bouquet of ripe plum, dark berries, scorched earth, licorice, grilled meat and coffee is the prelude to a fleshy, richly savoury wine that is surprisingly mature for such a large-scaled, structured vintage. (Drink between 2016-2021)Decanter | 92 DECThis is very precise and focused with red fruits with polished and round tannins. One note to it. But beautiful and delicious. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JS

The nearly perfect 2002 Proprietary Red Wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and the rest dollops of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. This exotic, full-throttle, nearly over-the-top red wine’s intensity, richness and smoky coffee notes intermixed with notions of chocolate, graphite, and jammy blackberry and black currant fruit ooze from the glass. This rich, concentrated beauty tastes more like a top-notch, young Right Bank Bordeaux from a vintage such as 2009 than a wine dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. With stunning purity and awesome potential, it can be drunk now or cellared for another two decades.Robert Parker | 99 RPDisplaying extraordinary aromatics, this shows a wealth of flavor, finesse, richness and grace. Pure, sleek cherry, berry and pomegranate notes are woven together with enticing floral scents. Keeps gaining depth and dimension without weight. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. -- 2002 California Cabernet blind retrospective (May 2012). Drink now through 2022. 2,621 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(75% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot and 1% each cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec) Full medium ruby. Brooding, medicinal aromas of black fruits. Sweet, chewy and deep, with flavors of dark berries, violet, minerals and game freshened by harmonious acidity. Finishes long and ripe, with fine, sweet, building tannins. Green notes that the merlot in this blend is actually tighter and less fleshy than the cabernet.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The 2004 St. Eden, which comes from a valley floor vineyard in Oakville, is another dead ringer for a great Pauillac, possibly a young Mouton. Dense bluish/purple in color with stunning notes of cedarwood, unsmoked high-quality cigar tobacco, crème de cassis and espresso roast, this wine has fabulous fruit, density and a full-bodied, youthful mouthfeel, wonderful balance and purity, and a terrific finish that goes on for close to a minute. This is also relatively open, but slightly more structured than the Melbury. There’s no sense deferring gratification, so I would suggest drinking it over the next 15-20 years, possibly longer.Robert Parker | 98 RPBrilliant aromatics here, just stupendously attractive. Among the sweetest and most approachable of Harlan’s current stable, it’s also complex and ageworthy. Fairly tannic now, with a refined sandpapery grittiness coating pure flavors of ripe cherries, plums and blackberries and their associated liqueurs. The finish is so long, balanced and harmonious. It’s hard to imagine that this won’t be one to age 12–15 years.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEDark red. Very ripe aromas of plum, currant and cocoa powder, complicated by a balsamic note and dusty minerality. At once savory and sweet, with the element of balsamic development carrying through onto the palate. Suave in texture but doesn’t show the energy or delineation of the 2005 version. These tannins are finer-grained than I recall but the finish is a touch warm.Vinous Media | 93 VMSuperripe yet supple and balanced, with deep, enticing blackberry, ripe plum and wild berry fruit that’s rich and concentrated, with a long, persistent finish. The tannins are firm and structured. Best from 2009 through 2015. 600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot (note that rarely is any Merlot utilized at the historic Napanook Estate in Yountville). The alcohol, by California standards, is a relatively modest 14.1%. Blending the best of French savoir faire with the brilliant fruit purity and ripeness of Napa Valley, Moueix has turned in another tour de force that seems far superior today than it did when it was first released. This is one of the vintage’s greatest wines. Dense purple and youthful, with a glorious nose of earth, blackcurrants, sweet black cherries and incense, the oak is pushed way in the background, as it is in all of the Moueix wines, and the result is a wine of terroir, of great originality and authenticity. This full-bodied classic from Dominus can be drunk now, but really won’t hit its prime for another 4-5 years and last at least another two decades or more.Robert Parker | 98 RPDark red-ruby. Knockout nose combines raspberry, plum, mocha, game, minerals and tobacco. Offers alluring Right Bank sweetness but also superb energy and definition; a lovely combination of Old World nuance and dark Napa Valley fruit. As suave and fine-grained as this wine is, it’s also penetrating and gripping, stony and high-pitched. Finishes with terrific tannic spine and mineral reserve. This very youthful wine still has upside.Vinous Media | 95 VMMore balanced than the overripe 2004, the ’05 Dominus is marked by dryness and firm tannins. It’s an obvious cellar candidate. Those tannins, along with unresolved acidity, give the wine a tough, almost rustic grittiness now. But there’s an enormous core of black currants, crushed blackberries, anise and cedar that’s deep and balanced. Should develop bottle complexity over many years, perhaps as long as 15.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEI appreciate the subtle complexity here. Aromas of dried herbs, currant bush, and sweet tobacco. Full bodied, with a lovely balance of fruit and spices. Very long and refined. This is open and pretty right now, no need to wait.James Suckling | 91 JSThis vintage produced a more feminine style than is typical of Dominus. It’s bright, sweet and floral, with scents of candied violets over chocolate-rich tannins. There is a grit and detail to those tannins, but it is masked for now in youthful fruit. There’s also a zest to the wine that implies it has the energy to live long into maturity.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&S

The 2006 Sassicaia may very well go down as one of the all-time great recent vintages for this Tuscan thoroughbred. The year started off very warm but by August evening temperatures had moderated, leaving the fruit with a stunning combination of ripeness, perfume, acidity and tannin. The wine is simply glorious, that’s all there is to it. Layers of dark fruit meld into smoke, leather, violets, menthol, earthiness and tar as this profound wine opens up in the glass. The creamy, silky finish lasts an eternity, as waves of fruit caress the tannins with breathtaking elegance. Everything is in the right place in this magical Sassicaia. This is one for the ages. In a word: Awesome.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe Tenuta San Guido 2006 Bolgheri Sassicaia is a timeless classic. This might just be the vintage to photograph in an encyclopedia entry for Sassicaia. This is especially true at this exact moment in its long and promising drinking window. The wine shows less volume compared to some of the more opulent vintages, but it absolutely excels in terms of length and finish. It offers amazing drive and momentum that are fueled by the extremely fine nature of the wine’s texture and the seamless unity of its flavors. It treads in light and delicate footsteps that will carry it far into the future. As they say in Italian: "Piano piano si va lontano" (slowly slowly you go far).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP(Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bolgheri, Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy, Red) The 2006 Sassicaia still has a dark garnet colour while nose has an impression of smoke and crushed dried flowers and some subtle, charred toast notes of oak. On the palate there is a lovely, soft, velvety texture together with dark, bramble fruit flavours. The fruit feels cooler in nature with leafy blackberry notes and again a thrilling spine of acidity. For Priscilla Incisa Della Rocchetta and the Tenuta San Guido team the 2006 was ’a rather fresher vintage … an elegant wine with good structure, the classic Sassicaia style with notes of juniper, myrtle, and Mediterranean forest, characteristic of this wine and the terroir where it is produced.’ (Drink between 2022-2033)Decanter | 96 DECSweet tobacco and berry with hints of currants. Full, soft and silky. Lots of fruit and a long finish. It’s subtle, dense and sophisticated. Please give this another five years to really show what it has.James Suckling | 95 JSDisplays sweet tobacco, plum and berry aromas, with a jammy undertone, turning to licorice on the palate. Full-bodied and balanced, with silky tannins, a lovely texture and plenty of fruit. Outstanding Sassicaia, with structure and finesse. 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 percent Cabernet Franc. Best after 2013. 20,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis landmark wine (85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc) shows herbal notes of chopped mint, wild berry, licorice, bramble and forest floor. Tasted young, Sassicaia never has the same impact it will 10 or 15 years from now when all those luscious aromas become more penetrating and warm. Built to age, the wine boasts drying tannins, good acidity and firm structure.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WENo written review provided. | 92 W&S

I think the Rayas 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape will turn out to eclipse the 2005. It is unequivocally the finest wine made here since Emmanuel Reynaud’s uncle, the late Jacques Reynaud, produced his brilliant 1995. This wine was just released this year, with the 2008 coming on the market in the next few months. The 2007 is a relatively dark ruby/purple-tinged wine, more intensely colored than most Rayas Chateauneufs tend to be, since they are made from 100% Grenache and color has never been one of their hallmarks. The extraordinarily youthful and still burgeoning aromatics of black raspberries, black cherries, truffles and licorice lead to a full-bodied, powerful Rayas with sweet tannin, adequate acidity, and an ethereal richness and unctuosity that delicately offers a sensual texture. It is full-bodied, concentrated and approachable, but won’t hit its peak for at least another 4-5 years and will last for 25 or more. This is a spectacular Rayas, the likes of which hasn’t existed at this qualitative level since 1995.Robert Parker | 98 RPThis was a brilliant showing by the 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve from Rayas, the finest bottle I’ve had to date. Offering a classic ruby color as well as gorgeous notes of kirsch liqueur, sappy green herbs, flowers, and rose petals, this beauty hits the palate with a full-bodied, rich, yet also fresh and vibrant texture that carries nicely integrated acidity and fine tannin. It’s certainly one of the gems in this great vintage and is going to have a long life. I’d be thrilled to drink bottles any time over the coming 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDBright ruby. Red berry, cherry and Asian spice aromas are lifted by sexy notes of rose petal and blood orange. Impressively pure and perfumed, with remarkable precision and cut to its concentrated but lively flavors of cherry and black raspberry. The weightless, mineral-driven character of this wine is something else. In a distinctly delicate, feminine style, with superb finishing cut and energy. This will probably cost a fortune when it lands in the U.S. , unfortunately.Vinous Media | 97 VMA very elegant, perfumy style, with shiso leaf and mulled spice notes up front, followed by silky black cherry, linzer torte and kirsch flavors that glide through the incense-tinged finish. There’s good latent depth and fresh acidity without the headiness typical of the vintage. Best from 2012 through 2022. 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Deep garnet colored with a lingering hint of purple, the 2007 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine reveals the most seductive crème de cassis, Black Forest cake and licorice notions with touches of violets, eucalyptus, chocolate box and unsmoked cigars plus a waft of cedar chest. Full-bodied with tantalizing opulence yet compelling restraint, the palate beautifully juxtaposes the rich, ripe fruit with wonderful freshness and a firm yet plush backbone, finishing beautifully perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP(14.5% alcohol): Saturated dark ruby! Ripe but reticent aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, bitter chocolate oak, licorice and mocha are very subtle and complex. Wonderfully pliant and balanced wine, with plush purple fruit and violet flavors displaying a smooth grain and superb depth. Spreads out to saturate the middle palate and builds slowly and inexorably on the aftertaste. This fully ripe, complete wine finishes with stylish tannins and outstanding length. There may still be more fireworks ahead for this beauty.Vinous Media | 96 VMAromas of blackberry, leather, lead pencil, and flowers. On the palate this is dense and velvety, with a gorgeous texture. Agile and balanced, this is hard not to drink right now. The finish is long, with notes of coffee and dark fruits. 15+24+23+33. Find the wineJames Suckling | 95 JSYou have to count this as another great Insignia, dry and complex and ageworthy, although the tannins are fierce now, and it may lack just a bit of the glamor of, say, the 2004 or 2001. It's certainly a big wine that floods the mouth with blackberry, black currant, cassis and new oak flavors. The tannins and acids make it aloof, resistant, tough. It wants time in the cellar. Best after 2013. Production was a hefty 13,500 cases.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPhelps's top red wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (88 percent), merlot and petit verdot, all grown at estate vineyards. Most of the fruit comes from the southern districts of Napa Valley—Suscol, a relatively cool site in South Napa, along with Stags Leap and Oak Knoll. That cool tone comes across in red currant flavors, in the quiet presence of a substantial wine. It's sleek with dark tannin that feels youthful and austere, hinting at a Christmas spice that predicts what holiday celebrations might be in store ten years down the line.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&SDense and tight, with a chewy core of mocha-laced blackberry and currant flavors, combining power with a measure of grace. Not shy on tannic strength, this has more power than finesse. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.--Blind 1997/2007 California Cabernet retrospective (January 2017). Drink now through 2025. 13,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

I still remember tasting the the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins just after bottling (which, given the long elevage here, wasn’t that long ago) and it’s still open and sexy today, with that classic, incredible perfume that only seems to come from this estate. Kirsch, garrigue, new saddle leather, truffles and spice are just some of the nuances, and this ruby colored beauty is stacked on the palate, offering full-bodied richness, sweet tannin and a bombastic style that’s reminiscent of the 1990. It’s a heavenly wine that I suspect will have a long life and drink beautifully for all of it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPTasting like the essence of Provence, Bonneau’s 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve des Célestins is ruby-hued with an incredible perfume of kirsch liqueur, new saddle leather, Provençal garrigue, lavender, and exotic spices, and it just about jumps out of the glass with overflowing character. Deep, full-bodied, exuberant, and incredibly sexy, with sweet tannins and a great finish, it reminds me of the 1990 and is a heavenly bottle of Châteauneuf du Pape to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA slightly roasted nose with coffee bean and kirsch aromas and freshly cut mushrooms. Full-bodied and very rich with high alcohol but the acidity remains strong. Very much of its powerful, roasted vintage, taking a little leathery, mushroom side. Complex and ready now, don’t wait too long.Decanter | 98 DECDeep ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes blackberry and cherry preserves, candied flowers, licorice and incense, with a bright mineral overtone. Stains the palate with sappy, spice-tinged dark berry and fruitcake flavors that are deepened by a suggestion of fruitcake. At once ripe and lively, finishing with superb energy and length and supple, building tannins. This is surprisingly graceful for a 2007 Chateauneuf, especially at this stage when most of them have gone to sleep or at least are in a sullen mood.Vinous Media | 96 VM