The 2004 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red was the winning bottle in the December installment of Pick My Next Bottle.
Pahlmeyer was founded in the mid-1980s when Jayson Pahlmeyer, a Bay Area lawyer, decided he preferred thinking about wine over reading legal briefs. Pahlmeyer produced its debut vintage in 1986. Jennifer Williams is the current winemaker. Wines produced at Pahlmeyer include the flagship Proprietary Red, Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In late 2019 Gallo purchased Pahlmeyer.
Dark crimson in color. 15.2% ABV. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Gorgeous nose of creme de cassis, molten licorice and flowers. Full bodied and perfectly balanced. Incredibly silky with notable structure and power. Tremendous texture and mouthfeel. Raspberry, cassis liqueur, black currants and chocolate truffle on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Stunning wine from an iconic producer that is aging brilliantly. I have one more bottle that I will check in on at the 25 year mark.
My rating: 97 points.
I’ve always loved Pahlmeyer wines. The Proprietary Reds made by Helen Turley in the mid to late 90’s are benchmark wines for me.