Pahlmeyer 20th Anniversary Napa Valley Red 2006 750mL

The 2006 Red has a dense purple color with extracted, toasty aromas of blackberry reduction, black currant and bittersweet cocoa. It is firm and beautiful on the palate with fruit flavors, firm tannins and phenolic balance for longevity. This concentrated wine leaves a long, lingering finish. - Erin Green, Winemaker, October 2009

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.

Grape Varietals:

81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec

95 Points - Rovert Parker's Wine Advocate, "Sweet, smoky, meaty aromas interwoven with melted asphalt, camphor, blackberry, cassis, and charcoal scents emerge from the complex aromatics. In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied, displaying sweet tannin, a concentrated mouthfeel, and a long, heady finish with substantial fruit, glycerin, and extract. It should drink beautifully for 20+ years."

93 Points - International Wine Cellar, Stephen Tanzer. "Good medium ruby. Musky aromas of black raspberry, mocha and smoke. Ripe, lush, seamless and deep; broad for the vintage, with plenty of mid-palate stuffing to support its tannins."

90 Points - Wine Spectator, James Laube. "Firm and structured, with a taut mix of dried currant, anise, sage, dusty berry and cedary oak. Full-bodied, concentrated and marked by chewy tannins, this is closed and needs time. The best of two bottles tasted."