2016 Profile
Varietals
92% Cabernet Sauvignon
8% Petit Verdot
Appellation
Napa Valley
Alcohol
14.7%
Flavor Profile
The 2016 Profile has beautiful color and the nose opens with savory herbs, chocolate, roasted notes and cherry reduction. The mouth starts with a broad entry and a lot of tension. This wine shows a bit more delicate approach compared to the 2015 but has great complexity and shows seductive, savory flavors with pretty, soft tannins. The 2016 Profile will continue to develop and gain complexity for many years. Cellared properly, this wine can be enjoyed for up to 30 years. Decant this wine in its youth.
- Vineyard Notes
Our Profile proprietary red blend showcases the very best fruit from each harvest, sourced exclusively from our gorgeous hillside estate vineyard located east of St. Helena. Overlooking the Napa Valley, the Profile Estate Vineyard lies on an eastern ridge at almost one thousand feet of elevation. Planted in 1997 by David Abreu, Michel Rolland and then winemaker Bob Levy, the 25-acre vineyard is comprised of four different clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, along with two acres of Petit Verdot and one acre of Cabernet Franc. The steep slopes, rocky soils and volcanic ash bedrock make it a very challenging site to farm, yet this vineyard consistently delivers grapes that stand out for their plush fruit character, complexity and silky tannin.
The grapes were hand-harvested at night in order to get the fruit into the cellar by very early morning and at its freshest. Each block was slowly harvested and the Petit Verdot was co-fermented with the Cabernet Sauvignon to integrate as early as possible. Native fermentation began after a 5-day cold soak and reached a peak temperature of 85°F. Fermentation lasted from 18 to 28 days. The wines were then drained to barrels where malolactic fermentation occurred. We aged the wine for 26 months in 75% new French oak barrels from Tronçais in the center of France. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration.
- FROM JEBDUNNUCK.COM: "THE FLAGSHIP RELEASE...
“… the 2016 Profile is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot all from a single vineyard in the Conn Valley. Aged over two years in 75% new French oak, its deep, saturated purple color gives way to a savory, meaty wine that has loads of red and black currants, toasted spice, baking chocolate, and subtle iron and marine-like nuances. Beautifully textured, concentrated, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, it’s another rock-solid 2016 that has plenty to love.” —Jeb Dunnuck [96 POINTS]
- FROM ROBERTPARKER.COM: "THE PROFILE IS...
“… made up of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot, aged 26 months in 75% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes bursting from the glass with bold warm cassis, black cherries and boysenberries scents with hints of chocolate mint, cedar chest, tobacco and underbrush plus a waft of black olives. Full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house with a firm backbone of finely grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long with a provocative minty lift. Nicely done!” —Lisa Perrotti-Brown [95 POINTS]
- FROM JAMESSUCKLING.COM: "BLUEBERRY AND BLACKBERRY...
“… aromas and flavors with chocolate, hazelnut and fresh-herb undertones. Very subtle. Medium to full body. Polished and solid tannins. Well crafted. 92% cabernet sauvignon and 8% petit verdot.” —James Suckling [94 POINTS]