2011 Continuum Proprietary Red

From a cooler vintage, Continuum's 2011 Proprietary Red has evolved nicely, delivering classic mountain-fruit lifted by notes of sage and bay leaf. Sourced primarily from the estate's Sage Mountain Vineyard (supplemented by tiny amounts from Mount Veeder and Diamond Mountain), it's medium to full-bodied, silky, fine and elegant, with an ample finish. This appears mature now, but it should easily hold for several more years.

98% from the estate. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot. The 2011 offers more savoury, slightly earthier aromas and flavours with hints of red fruit. Notes of forest floor and a backdrop of bay leaf with a bit of mushroom and a light graphite accent emerge with air, as does a refreshing grapefruit-pith accent. The tannin is incredibly fine-grained and persistent with plenty of mouth-watering acidity and a lengthy finish. Delicious. This vintage is in a very good spot to drink now but will also continue to evolve in bottle. It offers an impressive balance of concentration and finesse, though it definitely has more intensity and a touch more spice compared with the 2010. (ECB)

The 2011 Continuum is fabulous, just as it has always been. A wine of uncommon depth and volume, the 2011 shows just what was possible at top-tier sites at elevation in this challenging vintage. Layers of black cherry fruit, spice, lavender and gravel infuse this potent Cabernet with tons of intensity and pedigree. The 2011 is a wine that totally changed my perception of what Napa Valley is. It continues to be a deeply impressive wine. At the time, Continuum was in its early days and transitioning to a pure estate wine. The 2011 includes a drop of Petit Verdot from Mount Veeder.