We’re trying to keep sports analogies to a minimum lately, but today’s wine brought one to mind: Occasionally, the bench players outperform the starters. When you think about Bordeaux-style blends from Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon will probably come to mind first. Varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot typically play supporting roles. But in today’s wine, Napa Valley veteran (and acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon stylist) Tor Kenward flipped the script and delivered a game-winner.
As always, Kenward’s access to many of the greatest vineyards in Napa paid dividends—in this case, two special sites in Oakville that yielded spectacular Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, respectively, for TOR’s 2014 Proprietary Red Wine. Dubbing this 2014 “one of the most exciting wines we have made” and “a lark that turned into a beautiful swan,” Kenward described how he and his longtime winemaking partner, Jeff Ames, came upon the idea—and the blend—for this wine as they tasted through barrel samples in their cellar. Like chefs working with the most impeccably sourced meats and vegetables, the pair have relationships with a trove of top growers, making happy accidents like this wine not so accidental (more like preordained, in fact). Although Cabernet Sauvignon makes an appearance, the 2014 Proprietary Red is not only a testament to Napa’s viticultural diversity but an homage to the heaviest-hitting reds of Bordeaux’s Right Bank. Only a few cases of this rare collectible were made available to us, so act fast if you’d like a uniquely delicious piece of history for your cellar.