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The 2012 Proprietary White Cuvée Blanc comes from a warmer, more generous Napa Valley vintage and represents a richer yet still finely balanced expression of Scott Palazzo’s Bordeaux-inspired white wine philosophy. Built around Sauvignon Blanc and supported by complementary Bordeaux varieties such as Sémillon, the blend emphasizes texture, harmony, and the ability to evolve gracefully with age. Produced in very limited quantities, the magnum format was reserved exclusively for Palazzo’s private members and carefully cellared from release. This marks the first time these mature library magnums have been made available to the public, offering a rare opportunity to experience a Napa Valley white designed with longevity in mind.

Tasting Note:
The wine opens with inviting aromatics of ripe citrus, white peach, and pear, layered with subtle floral notes and a hint of honeyed richness. On the palate, it is broader and more generous than the 2011, showing stone fruit and citrus flavors carried by bright acidity and a smooth, rounded texture. Gentle notes of almond, soft spice, and mineral nuance add complexity. The finish is long, balanced, and polished, with the magnum format preserving freshness while allowing the wine’s richness and depth to unfold seamlessly.

The 2012 vintage marked a return to a warmer, more generous growing season in Napa Valley, producing wines with greater depth and approachability while still retaining balance. For Scott Palazzo, this vintage offered an opportunity to express Cabernet Franc with a touch more richness while staying true to his Right Bank inspired focus on structure and elegance. Sourced from Carneros and bottled in very limited quantities, these magnums were held exclusively for Palazzo’s private members until now. This release represents the first time these mature library magnums have been made available to the public, offering collectors a rare chance to experience a fully developed Napa Cabernet Franc in its most expressive format.

Tasting Note:
The wine opens with an inviting bouquet of violets, ripe raspberry, and red cherry, layered with hints of sweet spice and subtle earth. On the palate, the 2012 is generous and polished, showing supple red and dark berry fruit supported by vibrant acidity and finely resolved tannins. Savory undertones and gentle oak influence add dimension without overshadowing the fruit. The finish is long, smooth, and harmonious, with the magnum format preserving freshness and balance while allowing the wine’s richness to unfold gracefully.

From the winery: 

The words “classic” and “perfect” were tossed around a lot after the 2012 growing season, and this vintage will always be remembered for its lack of drama! Winter was unseasonably dry, followed by a beautiful spring that led to a very productive flowering and fruit set. Summer and early fall were characterized by fairly mild temperatures with plenty of sunny days that allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly with no major heat spikes. Interestingly, it was ZD’s latest start on record, with our first cabernet not coming in until the second week of October! If there were any challenges during harvest it was finding open fermenters for all of the beautiful cabernet fruit coming in to the winery at a frenetic pace, as harvest came to a dizzying finish the first week of November.

As always, ZD’s Cabernet is produced from several small intensely farmed vineyards in the Napa Valley and the final blend consistently results in a unique wine layered with remarkable flavor and balance. Each vineyard lot was fermented separately in small open top tanks with regular hand punch downs ensuring a gentle extraction of tannin and color. After one year in American Oak barrels and frequent blind tastings at the winery, the vineyard lots were blended and barrel aged for an additional year before bottling in July 2014.

This wine is big and unctuous with a firm structure that gives it excellent aging potential. Aromas of cassis and black cherry mingle with hints of plum, star anise and sweet vanilla. The combination of fruit, oak and tannin integrate seamlessly to provide a long, powerful finish. Enjoy!

Revisited in 2021
It has been a pleasure to revisit this Library Cabernet from what was considered a spectacular vintage for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Looking back at the original notes and tasting it now clearly demonstrates how well Napa Valley Cabernet ages in a “classic” and “drama-free” vintage. This wine has a beautiful medium ruby color. Aromas of jammy raspberry and ripe cherry mingle with subtle hints of cola, clove, earth and cedar. The tannins have softened nicely but still provide a wonderful backbone that continues to support the core of ripe fruit and delicate acidity that will benefit this wine as it continues to develop for years to come.

98 Points! The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which is also from Clone 337 but from different blocks on the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, saw oak with 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud. This wine seems slightly more expansive, shares the black ruby/purple color with all of it siblings, and has a boatload of crème de cassis, incense, licorice, graphite and vanilla along with plenty of spice box and forest floor. This is a killer, full-bodied, super-duper, opulent Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 20 years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com

97 Points! All the best qualities of the vintage come through in the 2012 Pluribus. Pliant and inviting, with striking depth, the 2012 has a lot to say. This is another subtle, understated wine from Bond that is presently holding back quite a bit. Even so, its potential is evident. Today, the 2012 is super-impressive. -  Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

96-98 Points! The 2012s made from Bordeaux varietals include their flagship wine, the 2012 Proprietary Red Les Pavots, a sensational blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. A prodigious effort, it rivals some of the fabulous past vintages such as 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2007. The inky/purple-colored 2012 boasts classic notes of crème de cassis, roasted coffee, vanilla bean, cedar, forest floor and blueberries. Full-bodied and complex with sweet tannin as well as hints of charcoal and camphor, this opulent, multi-leveled, Bordeaux-styled 2012 can be drunk now or cellared for 25-30+ years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com

94-96 Points! The deep ruby/plum-colored 2012 Pinot Noir La Caprice (1,440 cases) reveals aromas of rose petals, strawberries, raspberries, black currants and a hint of blueberries. This gorgeously rich, potentially complex Pinot Noir should drink well for 10-15 years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com