Wine Last Sold on: December 22, 2012
Maroon Wines
Featured Wine:
2008 "Proprietary" Cabernet Sauvignon
| Varietal: | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Region: | California: Napa Valley |
| Avg. Price: | $50.00 |
| Wine Spies: | $22.00 |
website
2012 WINE INTRIGUE AWARDS WINNER:
Agents’ Choice: Top Red Blend of 2012
Welcome to day six of the 6th Annual Wine Spies Wine Intrigue Awards. Every year, our Operatives and our Agents choose their favorite wines of the past year. Today, we are very pleased to present our Operatives favorite Red Blend - of any that we showcased in 2012.
Mission Codename: R.K's Dream
- Operative
- Agent Red
- Objective
- For our special Elite Operative Saturday, infiltrate Maroon wines, in the Napa Valley. Extract their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – a true Napa Valley gem – and make it available at a Top Secret price.
- Mission Status
- Accomplished!
- Winemaker
- Paul Maroon
Final Assessment
Highly recommended, this juicy, refreshingly delicious 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet from our friends at Maroon Vineyards is a wine that our tasting panel went crazy for. In fact, we all found ourselves taking deep inhalations, reveling in the wonderful aromatics, and large mouthfuls - in order to coat our palates with the fullness of flavor.
Beautifully balanced, this wine is lively, inviting, approachable and downright fun to inhale, drink and discuss. Pair food-friendly wine with a spicy meat dish or a thick, grilled, pepper-rubbed steak.
At today’s special price, we recommend that you stock up. We know that you can’t purchase every great wine that we feature, but we promise that you’ll love this one!
Tasting Profile
Dark ruby hues with perfect clarity through its darker core. At the edge of the wine, a fine ring of light perfect pink glints in the light. Swirl the wine and when it settles, leaves behind short columns of chubby legs that cling to the glass for a very long time.
Sweet, dark aromas leap from the glass, right on opening. Lush, juicy blackberry, cherry, raspberry, dried meats and red plum are layered atop fresh pluot, braised nectarine, sweet brown spice, leather and sweetwood.
Soft and round, initially, this wine becomes gradually grippy as ultra-fine tannins produce a very plush, velvety feel. Slowly, a very soft dryness spreads throughout the palate, introducing dark minerals as it moves. Ultimately, this velvet dryness spreads to the lips and cheeks.
Ripe and juicy mixed berry medley, combines with brown spice, sweet dried leather, red plum, dark chocolate, cigar box, bramble and dusty earth.
Long and very flavorful, with long-with lingering berry fruit, spice and exotic earthy notes. At the very end, a lovely hit of freshly cracked pepper provides lovely punctuation.
What the Winery Says
The Wine
This was an enjoyable wine to put together, as it incorporates some varietals that we have not historically blended together for Maroon wines. The Cabernet Sauvignon base of the blend was medium bodied and exhibited dark and ripe berry fruit, both aromatically and on the palate. This Cabernet really lent itself to the blending in of the more muscular and firm Petit Verdot, which provides structure and a nice tannin framework to the blend. The small amounts of Petite Syrah and Zinfandel add a nice touch of spice to the aromas and finish.
Bottom Line
This wine has very nice aromas of ripe, dark berries and hints of chocolate and coffee on the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied and expresses a nice balance from the attack through to the finish. We find layers of dark berries and chocolate and a very light acidity that adds a juicy vibrancy to the finish. This wine will be a versatile complement to a variety of dishes.
Drink now through 2015
Appellation
100% Napa Valley
Varietals
75% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% Zinfandel. 8% Petit Verdot. 3% Petite Sirah.
Alcohol
14.2%
pH
3.75
TA
.72g/100mL
Production
1,500 cases
About the Winery
PAUL MAROON Owner/Vintner became interested in winemaking over 40 years ago while as a young man helping his uncle make wine in Pennsylvania. In the back of his mind he always knew that for him Napa Valley was the place to be. Paul visited as often as possible throughout the years and finally in 2000 realized his dream and relocated to the Napa Valley. Here he began his life as a vintner and Paul has been growing grapes and making fine wines ever since.
KELLY DARTER General Manager, a sixth-generation Napa Valley native, is our General Manager. Kelly came to us with an extensive background in marketing, PR and customer service….not to mention an in depth knowledge of the Napa Valley. Her family dates back to the early 1800’s, so if you want to know something about Napa, ask Kelly. She and her husband John and son Cody, also a native Napan, enjoy travel, snowboarding and of course, fine wine and dining!
