1997
Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red

Very saturated black ruby to the rim. Dark aromas of cassis, black raspberry, licorice, maple syrup, shoe polish and flowers. Superripe and compellingly layered and deep; as thick and sweet as the Merlot but more tactile, with a stronger impression of acidity and structure and superb flavor definition. Thoroughly ripe, noble tannins reach the entire palate. Pahlmeyer still shows a slight preference for his Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend. “The Merlot, after all, used to be the leftover juice, the stuff that didn’t go into the red blend,” he explained.

Ultraripe and rich, with jammy wild berry, blackcherry, currant and spicy nuances that are deepand concentrated, finishing with a long, detailed aftertaste. Wonderful sense of harmony and finesse.

“The finest Proprietary Red produced by Pahlmeyer to date is their 1997… A super-rich, blockbuster effort, it exhibits an opaque purple color in addition to a fabulous bouquet of black fruits, espresso, cocoa, mocha, and flowers. A prodigious red, with low acidity, spectacular concentration, and fabulous purity as well as overall symmetry, it can be drunk now, but promises to last for 20-25 years.”