David Arthur
Proprietary Napa Valley Red Blend
Napa Valley, California, USA
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.
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.