Ed’s Red Napa Valley 2005 is a mixture of Bordeaux varietals (47% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon) with Syrah (16%) and Petite Sirah (13%), and in  stereotypical California style, it is enormous.  The intensity of its purplish ruby red color – it’s practically opaque – was a nice clue as to its large body, but we only experienced the full effect when we took a sip.  Aside from the filling texture, we could easily feel the heat of the high alcohol content (15%), which was fortunately moderated by plenty of acidity.  In the nose, we found a mixture of spice, prune, and cranberry, and after taking a sip, we found flavors that were more of the same.  

As we’ve mentioned before, huge “new world” wines aren’t typically our thing, but in our bottle of Ed’s Red Napa Valley we were happy to have deviated from the lighter style that we usually prefer.

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at Plumpjack Wines in Noe Valley.  They ship.  You can also find it using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com.