Blackbird Vineyards Contrarian Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2012

Professional Ratings

• 93 James Suckling
  A firm and juicy wine with blackberry, hints of new wood and cedar. Full-bodied, velvety and rich. Long finish. A blend of 54% cabernet franc, 23% cabernet sauvignon, and 23% merlot. Drink or hold.
• 91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The 2012 Proprietary Red Contrarian (an equal part blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc) is slightly more structured. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by notes of blackcurrants, licorice, lead pencil shavings, vanillin and spice. Made in a fuller-bodied, more structured and masculine style, it should drink well 2016-2028. Rating:91+
• 91 Connoisseurs' Guide
  54% Cabernet Franc; 23% Cabernet Sauvignon; 23% Merlot. Moderately intense and fairly complex with deep, dark cherry fruit joined by elements of graphite, fresh earth and a sweetening note of rich oak, Blackbird’s Contrarion is at once structured and sturdy, but it does not err to extreme toughness and teases with a fine sense of central succulence. It is a serious, cellar-worthy wine whose best lies some years down the line, and it demands five-to-eight years of patient restraint.
• 90 Wine Spectator
  Marked by a rustic mix of dusty herb and cedar notes, this features a firm core of dark berry, savory and loamy flavors, but the fruit pushes through on the finish. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2027.