2018 Brand Proprietary Blend

The 2018 Proprietary Red is rich, luscious and wonderfully expressive. Black cherry, plum, spice, mocha and licorice are all amplified in this sensual, open-knit Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc blend. The 2018 is beautifully done. Give it a few years to soften.

As usual about two-thirds Cabernet Franc and one-third Cabernet Sauvignon (63-37 this vintage), Brand's 2018 Proprietary Blend is a dense, rich offering, combining chocolaty richness with enlivening streaks of cassis, menthol and tobacco. Full-bodied and expansive on the palate, it's velvety in texture, plush even, yet it doesn't come across as overly heavy or alcoholic, and it finishes long, with hints of star anise and cassia bark. It should drink well for close to two decades. Both the 2018 and 2019 vintages have turned out well at this boutique property, located high on the slopes of Pritchard Hill. Purchased in 2019 by former Apple execs Jim Bean and Christine O'Sullivan, the vineyards are undergoing conversion to biodynamic principles. Consultant Philippe Melka has been involved with Brand since the project's inception.