Sloan Proprietary Red 2002
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Wine Enthusiast
Impossibly aromatic. Hard to imagine greater claret perfume. Shows the most refined mingling of smoky oak, cassis, cherries, roasted coconut macaroon, cocoa puff and spice scents. Absolutely first rate, as good as anything Napa Valley produces. Compellingly, addictively delicious, but so dry and voluptuous. Classic wine, with perfect alignment of fruit, acids, tannins, oak, alcohol, the works. The grapes are from Sloan’s portion of the Sacrashe Vineyard, high above the Silverado Trail in the Vaca Mountains. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new French oak. Perfection in a bottle. Drink now–2020.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The perfect score does not surprise me since I had given this wine a three-digit rating after bottling. However, I was surprised by how evolved and complex the 2002 has become. Compared to some of the other high scoring 2002s, Sloan’s offering seems to be on a faster evolutionary track. There is nothing wrong with that, but based on this one bottle, this blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot can be drunk now or cellared for another 10-12 years. I do not think it will be one of the blockbuster, extremely long-lived wines of the vintage, but I could be wrong, because everything is in perfect balance. It offers a dense plum/garnet/purple color, a sweet nose of roasted espresso, chocolate, spring flowers, blackberries, black currants and new saddle leather, an opulent, voluptuous texture, gorgeous, layered flavors, lots of glycerin, sweet, silky tannin and a phenomenal finish. If you own any of this beauty, don’t hesitate to drink it.
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Wine Spectator
Flirting with perfection, as the fruit is absolutely gorgeous, seemingly flawless, with its tremendous silky texture, layers of currant, black licorice, blackberry and wild berry fruit. Despite all its richness, depth and complexity, it ends on a plush note, with ripe, fine-grained tannins. Best from 2007 through 2014. 420 cases made.
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One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.