Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Asterisk
Label Name:
 
Proprietary Red
Vintage:
 
2014
Country:
 
United States
Region:
 
Napa Valley (Rutherford)
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
15.4%
Grape(s):
 
≈55% Merlot, ≈30% Cabernet Sauvignon, ≈15% Cabernet Franc
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
5
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
5
Length:
 
5
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
16-18°C

Awards/Ratings
Jeb Dunnuck 96; Robert Parker/The Wine Advocate 95; Vinous 93; Wine Spectator praised (high scores reported)

Tasting Note
Blackberry, cassis and mulberry with tobacco, lavender, pencil-lead and forest-floor notes. Full-bodied, vivid acidity, very firm grainy tannins and a long, mineral finish.

Food Pairing
Western: grilled ribeye, roast rack of lamb, braised short ribs. Asian: Cantonese char siu, Korean BBQ (galbi), soy-braised beef with star anise.

Production Method
Estate fruit hand-harvested; cold soak up to seven days; small-lot fermentations with extended maceration (45–60 days); aged in French oak barrels.

Vineyard Info
Sloan Estate, Rutherford (13 planted acres on a ~40-acre estate), planted 1997 by David Abreu; Asterisk launched 2004 as the estate’s second label. Winemaker Martha McClellan.