Growing Conditions
What is Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red? It is a classic Napa Valley Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Each variety is harvested and held separately throughout fermentation and barrel aging. The lots are aged an average of 18 months in French oak Bordeaux barrels, blended through a meticulous, time-honored artisanal process, and bottled without filtering or fining.
Produced in limited quantities, the Proprietary Red is a wine of superb power and density with commanding tannins and rich, dark flavors that become increasingly lush and seductive with age. Properly cellared, Proprietary Red will evolve magnificently for at least 25 years.
Bottling
The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered on April 25, 2005.
Winemaking
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.
Aging
Ageing continued in 80% new French oak, a combination of Taransaud and St. Martin barrels, for close to 18 months.
