Corley Proprietary Red Wine 2003 is handcrafted by the Corley Family of Monticello Winery. This Proprietary Red Wine shows an amazing depth of quality in aromatics, flavors and texture. It's a vintage wine that is tending toward early enjoyment and graceful aging. The aromas are deep and dark, conjuring up tastes of plums, dark berry jams and cedar. The texture of the wine is full and rich, yet is framed with firm and straightforward tannin. The finish is lingering and the tannins fall off the back of the tongue to reveal a nice fatness of fruit, fruit skins and mint. Corley Proprietary Red 2003 is produced from a rich blend of Cabernet Franc (55%), Merlot (26%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (19%). Aged for 25 months in French Oak barrels, Corley Proprietary Red from the 2003 vintage is one with high quality and an intensity of flavors as a result of some early rains and late heat spikes that contributed to lower overall yields.

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The Corley Family�s Monticello Vineyards is an innovative and acclaimed limited production estate winery located in Napa Valley, California. All of their wines have won innumerable awards over the last 25 years, been honored as top 100 wines by the major publications, have been served in the White House and have honored the Academy Awards. Jay Corley came to Napa Valley in 1969 seeking land to plant and grow an estate vineyard. Thirty-five plus years later, sons Kevin, Chris and Stephen manage the winery. This small winery produces about 15,000 cases of wine annually designated MONTICELLO VINEYARDS, CORLEY RESERVE and CORLEY. In 1969 Jay Corley began searching for an appropriate site to grow wine grapes and quickly recognized that the best wines in the United States were made from grapes grown in the Napa Valley. Since his personal interest was in Burgundian-style wines, he chose to initially focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and therefore acquired land in what is now known as the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley in 1970. The Oak Knoll District is in southern Napa Valley, just north of the town of Napa, and with its cooler temperatures, the Oak Knoll District is ideal for growing these varietals. In 1980, a winemaker started to oversee the harvest and crushing of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes for MONTICELLO VINEYARDS wines. In 1982, the winery was moved into a state of the art winery in the Home Ranch Vineyard and also produced the first CORLEY RESERVE wines. MONTREAUX Brut followed in 1983, Pinot Noir in 1984, Merlot in 1990, CORLEY Proprietary Red Wine in 1999; Cabernet Franc in 2003 and Syrah in 2004. The over-riding philosophy is that great wines are made in the vineyards. That is why they have made such a tremendous commitment to ownership of the most suitable land for grapes. Already satisfied with the strength and quality of the Oak Knoll estates for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, they set out in pursuit of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in the warmer districts of Napa Valley. Today they farm five vineyards in the Napa Valley - the Home Ranch Vineyard and Knollwood Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District planted to Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah vines, and the State Lane Vineyard in Yountville, Tietjen Vineyard on Niebaum Lane in Rutherford and Ehlers Lane Vineyard in St. Helena, each planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. Monticello winery has received numerous awards and high reviews, which has led to a short supply of their wines.

RATINGS: 92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
"A Bordeaux blend based on Cab Franc, this is a little lighter in body than traditional Cabernet Sauvignon, but shows the hallmarks of great Napa wine in the soft, rich, sweet tannins and ultraripe cherry pur�e and milk chocolate flavors, compounded with rich toasty oak."

Corley Proprietary Red 2003 Information:
Vineyards
Cabernet Franc
Home Ranch Vineyard and Knollwood Vineyard � Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District - The Cabernet Franc from these plantings brings spicy aromas and a velvety texture to the wine.
Merlot
Knollwood Vineyard � Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District - The Merlot offers deep red and black berry flavors and aromatics. The bright fruit is accompanied by a suppleness that shows in the mouth-feel of the final wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Tietjen Vineyard on Niebaum Lane � Napa Valley, Rutherford - The Cabernet Sauvignon from this vineyard shows a great core of berry fruit with tremendous brightness. It also adds an elegance and suppleness to the texture of the wine.