By Palazzo
2005 Napa Valley Red Wine Right Bank

History
My love affair with the wines produced from the Bordeaux region of France began almost 30 years ago. Particularly wines from the small, family-owned chateaux that dot the rolling hillsides of the beautiful 'Right Bank' region of that enchanted wine area. It is from there that my inspiration and passion for producing my wine continue to come.

Goal
Our goal at Palazzo is, and always will be, to produce beautiful wines of outstanding quality, with distinction and class. Wines that are both powerful and elegant, and that pair well with a broad range of food. Reminiscent of the style and quality of wines that come from the wonderful 'Right Bank' region of Bordeaux, France.

The Varietal
Merlot makes up the lion share of the blend, giving the wine its sheer power and strength, silky texture, and beautiful layers of dark cherry and blackberry fruit. The Cabernet Franc adds brightness, acidity, and floral overtones to the wine, with the Cabernet Sauvignon adding structure and character to the wine, with hints of smoke, cocoa, and espresso bean to the finish. Continuing in the style and quality of my previous vintages, this is a beautifully complex wine, with wonderful layers of rich fruit, soft tannins and a lush, supple texture on the palate.

Wine Details
Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging: 40% new French oak
Bottling Date: April 27, 2007
Release Date: November 1, 2007
Total Produced: 1,100 Cases - 750ml
[Information provided by Matador Vino]

2005 Palazzo Wine Proprietary Red Right Bank
USA, California, North Coast, Napa Valley
Rating: 96
Producer: Palazzo Wine
Color: Red
Type: Table
Sweetness: Dry
Variety: Proprietary Blend
Drink Date: 2015 - 2030
Issue Date: 27th Aug 2015
Source: 220, The Wine Advocate
Reviewed by
As my Napa retrospective in Issue 219 proved, the 2005 vintage goes from strength to strength and has really never tasted any better than it is tasting at age 10. The final blend for Palazzo's 2005 Right Bank Proprietary Red is 68% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. Inky blue/purple, the wine spent 14 months in barrel, of which 40% was new French. A delicious, perfectly balanced wine with plenty of cedar wood, forest floor, black currants and black cherries intermixed with tell-tale coffee and chocolate notes, this was the most intense and deepest of the first three vintages I tasted. This beauty has at least another 10-15 years of aging potential.