98 Points James Suckling
Blackberries, blackcurrants and hints of mint. Full-bodied with very fine, velvety tannins. Turns firm and structured with a fine chewiness and a caressing mouth-feel. Lively, too. 77% cabernet sauvignon and 15% merlot, the rest petit verdot and cabernet franc. Very attractive now, but will be better in four to five years. Try after 2026.
 
Winemaker Notes
The 2019 vintage offered us a broad spectrum of stellar lots to consider for our Proprietary Red blend. We hand harvested each of our high-elevation sites in the cool of night and meticulously hand sorted and destemmed at the winery before fermenting and aging each lot separately. We meticulously evaluated each lot, first on its individual merit and then in the context of the blend. Upper Range, a newer vineyard in our lineup, was a standout out in the group, possessing a signature savory character that elevated the intense fruit profile of the Pahlmeyer Estate —the heart and soul of the wine—and created a beautiful interplay between fruity and savory components. The individual lots were aged in nearly 100% new French Oak for 20 months. After blending, the wine was bottled in June, 2021 for additional bottle-aging before release.