2011 Promontory Proprietary Red
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Tasting notes
The 2011 Promontory is just starting to enter its first plateau of maturity. Dark, dense and layered, the 2011 is striking. Dark cherry, gravel, scorched earth, tobacco, spice and licorice build with some coaxing. The late harvest gave the 2011 an exotic flair that is impossible to miss.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Soaring aromatics and beams of tannin give the 2011 Proprietary Red its signature feel. The 2011 is never going to be a huge wine, but it is vivid and exceptionally beautiful. A host of pine, menthol, tobacco, licorice and savory herb nuances lift to this soaring, exquisite hillside Cabernet Sauvignon.
One of the true highlights of the vintage, the 2011 Promontory is just as beautiful and vivid as it has always been. Pencil shavings, raspberry jam, wild flowers, mint and anise are all beautifully sculpted in the glass. Vibrant and pulsating throughout, the 2011 shows just what was possible in this misunderstood vintage. The 2011 keeps getting better and better with each tasting.
The 2011 Promontory is a real head turner. Detail, nuance and crystalline precision are the hallmarks. Crushed rocks, rose petals and mint wrap around a core of finely-sculpted fruit. At times brooding and inward, while at others much more aromatically lifted, the 2011 is a wine of contrasts. Then again, so is this site. Simply put, the 2011 is the real gem. Only a winemaker with a great palate and acute sensitivity could have made a wine like this in 2011.
About the producer
Promontory is fast becoming one of the Napa Valley’s most important estates. The property was purchased by Bill Harlan (founder of Harlan Estate) in 2008, with the first vintage – 2009 – released in 2015.