2021 AXR - Red Blend Napa Proprietary

AXR takes its name from the AxR rootstalk, a hybrid once central to building California's modern wine industry, a nod the winery treats as an homage to Napa Valley's roots. The estate property itself carries a colorful past, having served over more than a century as a brewery, restaurant, inn, and saloon, with ties even to one of California's first female vintners back in 1886. Consulting winemaker Jean Hoefliger, known for producing some of Napa's more opulent and expressive bottlings, oversees the cellar work today, favoring hand-picked fruit fermented in small lots.

This Proprietary Red draws on grapes from three prized Napa appellations: Oak Knoll, Yountville, and Coombsville, each contributing a different dimension to the final blend. The 2021 vintage combines Cabernet Sauvignon with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, fermented partly in tank and partly in barrel over 16 days on the skins. The wine then ages 12 months in French oak, 40 percent new, giving it structure without overwhelming the fruit.

Deep cherry in color with a magenta rim, the wine opens with notes of thyme, rosemary, cedar, and dark plum, layered with chocolate and black truffle. The palate is round and dense, with velvety fruit and fresh tannins carrying through a long, satisfying finish. Pair it with a grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or a rich mushroom risotto.