Detailed Description
The wine expresses purity and precision, with high tone aromatics of red and blue fruit, deep plum and rose oil.
Reviews:
- Wine Advocate: Composed of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple 2018 Proprietary Red has a fantastically fragrant nose of candied violets, red roses, Morello cherries and blackcurrant pastilles with hints of wild blueberries, red currant jelly, iron ore and forest floor, plus a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with tightly wound black and red berry layers, framed by firm, ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with incredibly persistent and evocative floral and mineral layers. An absolute head-turner, this 2018 is all that and then some. Tim Mondavi mentioned that this is due to be bottled in just a few weeks‚Äîmid-August‚Äîmeaning this barrel sample I tasted is pretty close to being a finished wine. With the estate vineyard turning 10 year’s old in 2018, here’s where we see how incredibly special this singular Pritchard Hill site really is.
- James Suckling: This has incredible nuances and delicacy with power. It’s full-bodied with lots of gentle tannins that spread across the palate. The character is full of blackberry, blackcurrant and lead pencil. Some conifer and pine needles. Sage at the end, too. Savory. So long-lasting and layered. Such purity. It’s so complex and changes all the time in the glass. Goes on for minutes. 54% cabernet sauvignon, 31% cabernet franc, 9% petit verdot and 6% merlot. Organically grown grapes. So drinkable now, but will age beautifully.
Producer Information
Continuum was founded in 2005 by renowned Californian winemaking pioneer Robert Mondavi and two of his children, Tim and Marcia. The winery concentrates on Bordeaux-style red wine blends from grapes grown on the Napa Valley estate. The Continuum vineyard was bought in 2008 and is located on Pritchard Hill, above the famous valley. However, it wasn’t until the 2012 vineyard that the wines were entirely produced from estate fruit. Previous vintages were sourced from Marjorie’s Vineyard within Mondavi’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, as well as from parcels in Stags Leap District. The winery, designed by the famous winery architect Howard Backen, was completed in 2013, just in time for Tim Mondavi’s 40th year as a winemaker.
