2013 Sugarloaf Mountain Proprietary Red
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
A blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the 2013 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain comes from a cooler site in south Napa, above a quarry. It usually allows for a longer hang time, often lending a minty or herbal lift to the wine. Deep garnet in color, the nose is a little shut down at this stage, slowly opening to reveal dazzling scents of kirsch, baked black cherries, mulberries, charcoal and dusty soil with a touch of chocolate mint. Full-bodied, rich and seductive, it delivers a gorgeous, velvety texture with loads of spices coming through on the long, long, long finish. Give it another couple of years to emerge from its sleep, and drink it over the next two decades. 650 cases were made.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Rich, opulent and voluptuous - with no hard edges and exceptional balance - the 2013 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain wraps around the palate with serious depth and intensity. Sweet red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and wild flowers meld together effortlessly. A blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the Sugarloaf takes over all the senses with its heady richness and unctuousness.
The last two 2013s I tasted included the 2013 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain. This fabulous and exciting elixir is a equal-part blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot aged in equal parts Gamba and Darnajou, all new French oak. A stunning nose of forest floor, blueberry, blackberry, mulberry and spring flowers soars from the glass of this inky purple wine. Another offering of great intensity, with voluptuous texture and lavish, almost extravagant fruit richness, this pure, rich and incredibly well-made wine is yet more proof that Bevan is a genius on so many levels, as he can produce compelling wines whether they are Bordeaux varietals, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc or even Chardonnay. Oct 2015, www.robertparker.com