“Terra Gratia” (“Land of Gratitude” in Latin) is a blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot. Owned, grown, made and offered as their “entry level” wine by Marciano Estate Winery in western St Helena. Warm aromas of pie spices, deeply toasted wheat crust, dark red cherry and plums. Generous and delicious, showing lots of plums, pomegranates and wild cherry/deep raspberry with acidity to heighten the fruits. Faint, pleasing “taste of the land” peeks through at the end. For a skillfully made, cut-no-corners winegrowing attitude, delicious Napa Valley red, this is highly recommended for $65.
The property that is now Marciano Estate was purchased by Maurice Marciano in 2006. In 2007 he hired Dave Abreu to replant his entire vineyard. The wines are made by Morgan Maurèze whose resume includes Dominus, Domaine de la Romanee Conti, Château Haut-Brion, Dalla Valle and Screaming Eagle. Andy Erickson is the consulting winemaker. (It’s the Napa Valley version of The Three Tenors!) At just 7th leaf for the 2014 vintage, the best is yet to come for Marciano Estate.
