2019 Proprietary Blend
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Tasting notes
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Proprietary Blend is a blend of 62% Cabernet Franc and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon. It sashays out with glamorous notes of red roses, red currant preserves, black raspberries, and cinnamon sticks, giving way to a core of boysenberries and juicy blackberries with a waft of tilled loam. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully elegant and fine-grained, with tantalizing tension defining the delicately layered red and black fruits and delivering a long, perfumed finish. Stunning!
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Proprietary Red is another strong wine in this range. As always, Cabernet Franc drives the blend, and that is especially evident in the 2019. Crushed red/purplish berry fruit, mint, flowers, spice and orange peel lend layers of complexity. Even with the warmer year, the 2019 shows more freshness than its 2018 counterpart.
The 2019 Proprietary Blend is a 62-38 assemblage of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from 1,300 feet above sea level on Pritchard Hill. Scents of violets escape from the glass, along with hints of cassis, purple raspberries and mocha. It's full-bodied and richly textured but brighter and fresher-tasting than the 2018 and more energetic on the palate, with a long, softly dusty finish. Both the 2018 and 2019 vintages have turned out well at this boutique property, located high on the slopes of Pritchard Hill. Purchased in 2019 by former Apple execs Jim Bean and Christine O'Sullivan, the vineyards are undergoing conversion to biodynamic principles. Consultant Philippe Melka has been involved with Brand since the project's inception.
About the producer
BRAND is a boutique Napa Valley winery based on Pritchard Hill, known for producing limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon and proprietary red blends from estate mountain vineyards.