2018
Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red
Exquisitely cellar-worthy, our 2018 Proprietary Red Napa Valley will reward patience over the next decade or more. This Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend opens with aromas of wild blackberry, cocoa and supple leather. Deep and beautifully structured, with elegant, lengthy tannins matched by ideal balance. Dark and opaque, the concentrated, complex palate brings generous notes of forest berries and black currant, layered with hints of freshly turned earth, aromatic herbs and dark spices, evolving into a long, energetic finish.
88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc
- Winemaker
- Vinted by Jennifer Williams, blended by Katie Vogt
- Alcohol
- 15.2%
- Harvested Start Date
- September 28, 2018
- Harvested End Date
- October 30, 2018
- Bottled Date
- June 25, 2020
- Release Date
- September 13, 2021
Winemaking Notes
Proprietary Red is a masterful blend of Bordeaux varieties, each harvested and vinified separately in dozens of individual lots. In vintage 2018, the majority of the blend was sourced from the iconic Stagecoach Vineyard as well as Upper Range Vineyard, an exciting new addition to our Pahlmeyer vineyard portfolio. Clusters were gravity-fed onto a sorting table and carefully sorted by hand. After the fruit was gently destemmed, it was passed through an optical sorter to ensure that only perfect, gorgeous berries made it into the fermenter. Our top lots were fermented in five-ton oak casks for up to 27 days on the grape skins. At the drain and press stage, free run was collected overnight and the skins were gently pressed via basket press. Each lot was aged and evaluated separately at blending. The wine was aged in 95% new, heavy toast French oak barrels for 18 months.
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.
Blackberries and wild berries on the nose with hints of incense and ink, following through to a full body with super integrated tannins and a long, linear finish. It’s structured, yet so polished and integrated, the tannins spreading beautifully across the palate. Caressing, like silk. This has a higher percentage of Stagecoach Vineyard. Drinkable now, but better in 2024 and onwards.
The 2018 Proprietary Red is every bit as magnificent as it was from barrel, if not moreso. It’s just a great expression of the year. Rich and explosive, with tremendous depth, the 2018 possesses tremendous richness right out of the gate. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather and spice soar out of the glass. The 2018 Proprietary Red is, sadly, the only wine Pahlmeyer will bottle in 2018, as fires were an issue at the estate vineyard on Atlas Peak.
