Mitchell Rabinowitz

9.5

Producer
David Arthur Vineyards. Family estate founded by David Arthur Long, with roots on Pritchard Hill dating to the Long family’s land purchases beginning in the 1950s. The winery began in 1980 and released its first vintage in 1985. Elevation 1147 Cabernet and a Napa Valley Proprietary Red sit at the core of the portfolio. 

Region
Napa Valley, with estate vineyards high on Pritchard Hill above St. Helena. The site is a rocky, iron-tinted hillside that has become one of Napa’s most coveted neighborhoods. 

Grape Variety
Bordeaux-style blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Cabernet Franc in the mix. Component percentages vary by vintage. 

Terroir
Hillside blocks on Pritchard Hill with thin, stony volcanic soils and significant elevation. Fruit for the Proprietary Red is drawn from the estate and select Napa Valley parcels, then aged about 20 months in French oak. The goal is supple structure and near-term approachability without giving up cellar potential. 

Characteristics
Color
Deep ruby with a slowly forming brick rim consistent with a 2010 Napa red of hillside origin.
Nose
Black cherry, cassis and baked plum, with notes of anise, cocoa and dried herbs that this cuvée often shows. 
Palate
Medium-plus body. Dark cherry and blackberry at the core, framed by fine oak spice and a lift of savory herb. Tannins are resolved but still present. The cooler 2010 season adds brightness and line. 
Finish
Long, with lingering cassis, cocoa and a graphite echo typical of Pritchard Hill Cabernet blends. 

Terroir–Characteristic Connection
The rocky, low-vigour Pritchard Hill soils concentrate small berries and tannin, which read as density without excess heaviness. Elevation and afternoon exposure give ripe black fruit, while the 2010 vintage’s cooler arc preserved acidity and lifted the finish. 

Vintage Variation
2010 in Napa Valley was long and cool with brief heat spikes, producing Cabernet-based wines of freshness, slightly lower alcohols, and classical proportion. Many show strong aging trajectories. 

Decanting Advice
For a sound bottle today, decant 45 to 60 minutes to clarify sediment and open the mid-palate. If particularly youthful on opening, extend to 90 minutes.

Drinking Window
Now through 2030, with the best bottles holding longer given the vintage’s structure. 

Tier/Assessment
Excellent. The combination of estate pedigree on Pritchard Hill, the house’s balanced oak regime, and the 2010 vintage’s poise produces a Napa Valley proprietary red that is complete and ageworthy. — 4 days ago

Chris MacLean

9.2

This seems more integrated than the Hyland Vineyard, same vintage. Anyone have insight? — 10 months ago

with Sarah

CA Haynam

9.0

Inky black. Moderate fruity aroma. Dark fruit flavors of blackberry and blueberry. Nice — 3 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

This wine is in a perfect place. 2008 is not as regarded as 2007, but this 2008 made by Charles Hendricks is saying differently & absolutely one of his very best. I would say, James & Coleen made a mistake in letting him get away.

It is sort of a Mother Mary of God wine. Not to be religious, just the phrase fits.

Our eyes & ears perk up when we hear Napa names like; Harlan, Scarecrow, Hundred Acre, Bond & Colgin. I’d like to put this in blind and watch the shock & awe in everyone eyes when the wines were revealed.

The palate entry is perfect in every way. It is rich, lush, extremely balanced with well rounded, velvety M+ tannins. The core is dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries, baked strawberries framed in raspberry edges. Some of the most amazing, dark spices with palate heat, melted, dark chocolate to pudding, black licorice to anise, mocha, malt balls, caramel, mid baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanillin, fresh & used tobacco, leathery, graphite, crushed rocks & limestone, sage brush, slightly, candied, dark & withering flowers set in understated violet’s & lavender, warm, summer, rainfall acidity, balance for days, excellent structure/tension with elegance and smart polish that lasts minutes and settles on beautiful spices.

This wine is at its precipice and will hold a few more years with good drinking for 8-10 years. — 2 months ago

Shay A

9.4

One of the bottles from my annual WWC hosting, opened alongside a 2020 Chateau Beaucastel Blanc.

46% Grenache Blanc/31% roussanne/23% Chenin Blanc.

More expressive and dialed up compared to the Beaucastel (not a big surprise). Medium gold in the glass. Bright and juicy roussanne notes of orange marmalade and apricot, alongside white peaches and a powder-sugar funnel-cake type aromatic. The Chenin gives this a good spine of acidity to prevent the rich and full-bodied entry from being flabby. Honey-roasted nuts, honeycomb, lemon cream, underripe pineapple and a savory/waxy finish. The warmth comes out at the finish, but it’s not substantial. Really nice with 1-2hrs of air. — 6 months ago

CA Haynam

9.2

Light fruit aroma, intense deep nearly opaque purple, jammy and thick with notes of raspberry and strawberry. Delicious. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I have said many times that when Charles Hendricks made James Cole from 2013 backwards, amazing.

Charles is the most under known & therefore unappreciated Napa Winemaker on the planet from my perspective.

So, when a bunch of his JC vintages appeared on the secondary market, I bought them all. They are very rare these days.

2013 an excellent vintage, small berries with excellent concentration. When I picked up the cork from the table at the restaurant, it was turned away from me. When I looked at my hand, it was heavily painted with tannins. In a way I have seldom experienced. It was so, I could have easily painted my war face. — 2 months ago

Steve Somermeyer

9.3

Really a great wine at this point in its point in life. A sister bottle tasted 2 years ago was rather rough on the palate. The tannins have softened while the elegant nose is still there. Really enjoying this bottle! Cheers!
— 3 months ago

Max Gottesfeld, FWS, CSW

9.0

It’s like almost every Napa chard from a high end producer. It’s good but not amazing. It reminds me of a warm hug. — 10 months ago

Shay A

9.5

I’ve got lots of love for these wines, but I always struggle with when to open. They are fantastic young and equally fantastic with age. Jeb said of this wine, “the greatest GSM blend from California, ever.”, and stamped it with a perfect score. Strong praise, and while I’m not there, I don’t regret opening this.

Consumed from decanter the first 2-3hrs before decanting back to bottle and finishing the remaining third later in the evening. Much better later in the day. Wound up tight initially. Classical high end Paso with this distinct airy-jammyness. So much going on with squeezed blackberries, peppercorn, lots of kirsch. Some garrigue. Mouth coating and a total wave of flavor on the palate…black fruit, cherry cordial, cherry drizzled smoked meats. It’s both supremely juicy and hauntingly tannic at the finish. Even with time to open, the ABV makes itself known, but you know that going in. If you like the style, it’s hard to beat. — 3 years ago