2013 Kerr Cellars Reserve
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
What a delight it is to taste Kerr's 2013 Reserve Red in such great shape. Dark, powerful and structured, with forbidding tannins that are going to need time to soften, the 2013 is terrific. A host of espresso, mocha, leather, licorice and cedar infuse a core of dark fruit in this imposing yet expressive red blend. All of the class of this great Napa Valley vintage comes through a highly expressive yet mid-weight wine. I suspect the bottle I tasted last fall was flawed, as this bottle is on another level entirely.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2013 Reserve Red comes across as powerful and intense, with searing tannins that overpower the fruit. There is no shortage of power, but the heavily extracted style gives the wine a rustic, rough around the edges feel.
The proprietary red blends were spectacular, starting with the 2013 Reserve Proprietary Red, which is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard and the rest Merlot from the Houyi Vineyard on Pritchard Hill. A stunning fragrance of black raspberries, blueberry liqueur, creosote and incense, the wine hits the palate with stunning purity, full-bodied richness, great penetration and overall equilibrium. This is a sensational, world-class red capable of evolving for the next 30 or more years.