2010 Sloan Proprietary Red
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
I loved the 2010 Proprietary Red, a regal, majestic, First Growth-like effort from this team. Still deep ruby hued, it has quintessential Sloan aromatics of darker, black fruits, graphite, cassis, and black olives, with a subtle bloody, marine-like character. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and incredible length on the finish. It offers everything you could want: complexity, nuance, depth, and richness. It's just now at the early stages of its prime drinking window and has another two decades ahead of it.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Proprietary Red is very deep garnet colored with a hint of purple. It offers up wonderfully bold, expressive notes of crème de cassis, black cherry compote and mincemeat pie with wafts of bay leaves, incense, Chinese five spice and hoisin plus wafts of chargrill and yeast extract. Full-bodied, rich and opulent, the palate is laden with layer upon layer of exotic spice-laced black fruits with a firm yet plush frame and very long finish with some licorice notes coming through.
The 2010 Sloan may ultimately eclipse the 2009 as it appears to have greater longevity. Dense blackberry, cedar, lead pencil shavings, cassis, espresso, white chocolate and forest floor notes are incredibly complex and inviting. Full-bodied and virtually perfect in all senses with flawlessly integrated acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood, this is a tour de force and one of the superstars of the vintage. It, too, can be drunk now or cellared for 30+ years. ||Original proprietor Stuart Sloan sold this property to the Hong Kong-based Pan family, and the affable Jenny Pan is now in charge. The winemaker continues to be Martha McClellan and the consultant is Michel Rolland. From this fabulous site, the Pans produced a 2009 and 2010 that are about as spectacular as these Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines can be. They are normally around 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a tiny percentage of Petit Verdot.||www.sloanestate.com Wine Advocate.October, 2013
About the producer
Sloan’s 13-acre estate vineyard, composed of mineral-rich, fractured volcanic rock and sandy loam, is located high in the eastern hills of Rutherford. Their inaugural vintage was 2000 and since it has grown a tremendous cult following for those lucky enough to get their hands on a few bottles.