2005
Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red
The 2005 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red, a vibrant, deeply colored wine, offers a nose complex in aromas of crème de cassis, tobacco, dark chocolate, dark fruit, graphite and spice. The extraordinary structure of this wine encompasses a palate that is full-bodied and rich, offering excellent acidity and finely grained tannins. The length is impeccable and lasts seemingly for minutes after the last swallow. A truly irresistible wine to try now but certainly one that should also hold for decades.
— Erin Green, Winemaker, October 2008
84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec
- Winemaker
- Erin Green
- Alcohol
- 15.2%
- Harvested Start Date
- September 29, 2005
- Harvested End Date
- October 15, 2005
- Bottled Date
- April 17, 2007
- Release Date
- October 1, 2008
Winemaking Notes
The grape clusters were sorted by hand, and once de-stemmed, the berries were hand-sorted again on the way to the tank. This was followed by a four to five day cold soak, depending on flavor extraction. The fruit was then allowed to ferment with 100% native yeast in small open-top fermentors for two weeks. Near the end of fermentation, the must was gently pressed and the wine was moved to barrels where it finished its primary and secondary fermentations. Ageing continued in 80% new French oak, a combination of Taransaud and St. Martin barrels, for close to 18 months. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Good saturated red-ruby. Pungent aromas of cassis and violet, with a whiff of smoked meat. Densely packed, layered and thick; a step up in depth from the merlot. This boasts a chocolatey richness to its sweet dark fruit flavors. Finishes supple, lush, broad and long, with substantial sweet tannin and a lingering note of chocolate.
Ripe, rich and complex, with layers of black cherry, wild berry, currant and cherry kirsch flavors that are bold, rich and persistent, ending with a long, intense yet elegant aftertaste.
This wine has fleshed out beautifully. The final blend has a deep purple color, a beautifully sweet nose of blackberries and cassis intermixed with some meatiness, smoke, and a touch of pain grille as well as notes of espresso and licorice. Full-bodied, rich, with decent acidity, excellent delineation, and moderately high tannin, this is a beauty that should evolve for 25-30+ years. It is no wimpish wine at 15.2% natural alcohol, but that is buried beneath a cascade of gorgeous fruit and glycerin. This wine should be cruising along brilliantly in 2030+.
