Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red (Cab blend)

The 2018 Red Blend Proprietary Red could easily be mistaken for a great vintage from Château Latour, at least aromatically. Blackcurrants, scorched earth, lead pencil shavings, and a gorgeous sense of minerality all develop in the glass, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, concentrated mouthfeel, building tannins (and plenty of them), and a great finish. This brilliant, world-class Cabernet is going to benefit from 4-5 years or more of bottle age and have 30+ years of longevity. The blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, all brought up in 95% new French oak. Rating: 97+

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red Blend is fairly shut down to begin. With swirling, it delivers vibrant scents of fresh blackcurrant and black berries plus hints of wild thyme, damp soil, black olives and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly wound with loads of herbal and mineral sparks among the crunchy black fruits, with a firm, grainy texture and a lively backbone, finishing with tons of energy and persistence.
Rating: 96+

Katie Vogt

Alcohol:

15.2%

Harvested:

September 21 to October 25, 2019

Bottled:

June 2, 2021

Released:

September 19, 2022

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.