Sloan
Proprietary Red
Rutherford
2013
Vintage
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV
15%
Where it is, July 2026
At Peak: in the heart of its drinking window (2020-2039).
In 2026, Sloan Proprietary Red 2013 sits six years into its nineteen-year peak window, which opened in 2020 and runs through 2039. The wine is at the heart of its peak arc, in the fully opened and expansive mid-peak phase where the 2013 vintage's extraordinary opulence and the Rutherford estate's signature glossy texture are in their fullest and most integrated expression. The 2013 growing season was Wine Spectator's 97 Classic vintage for Napa Cabernet, described as a practically flawless growing season with no heat spikes or rain, and those qualities translate directly to Sloan's 2013 expression: the primary blackberry and plum jam concentration that the flawless season built has had six years to integrate into the wine's mid-palate richness, and the sweet ripe tannins that 2013's warmth produced are now fully resolved and glossy. This is the sweet spot in the Sloan 2013's development arc: fully open, generously opulent, and with thirteen more years of peak drinking ahead through 2039. Explore the [Napa Valley wine region guide](/wines/region/napa-valley) or the [Cabernet Sauvignon varietal page](/wines/varietal/cabernet-sauvignon), and compare with [Sloan Proprietary Red 2005](/wines/sloan/proprietary-red/2005) for a mature-stage view of how the Rutherford estate's signature opulence evolves.
The ‘13 Proprietary Red.
Six years into peak, Sloan 2013 is Rutherford opulence from Napa's most celebrated vintage: blackberry, plum jam, dark chocolate, and glossy texture with thirteen years ahead.
Drinking window
Tasting note
Sloan Proprietary Red 2013 pours a deep, settled ruby-garnet that reflects six years at peak from a vintage that Wine Spectator described as a practically flawless growing season. The nose opens in a generously opulent register that is characteristic of both the Rutherford appellation's warm, deep-gravel soils and the 2013 season's extraordinary fruit concentration: ripe blackberry and plum jam dominate the primary aromatic expression, supported by layers of dark chocolate and roasted coffee bean that come from the combination of fully ripe tannin extraction and the estate's new oak program. These aromatic notes present with a richness and glossiness that is distinctly Sloan in character, reflecting the Rutherford estate's deep alluvial soil profile and the flawless, heat-spike-free ripening conditions that 2013 provided throughout the growing season. The palate continues the theme of full opulence and seamless integration: the full-bodied, chewy mid-palate texture that Rutherford Cabernet produces from its deep gravel soils is fully expressed in 2026 after six years at peak, and the sweet ripe tannins that the 2013's warm, even ripening built are now completely resolved into the wine's glossy, generous texture. The finish is long and warm, carrying blueberry compote and a sweet vanilla oak note through a sustained, plush close.
The 2013 vintage
The 2013 growing season across Napa Valley was widely considered the finest vintage of the decade at its time of release, delivered through practically flawless growing conditions with no heat spikes or extended rain events during the critical ripening period. The growing season that produced the vintage's legendary quality was also distinguished by timing: the earliest harvest in approximately 25 years began in August, but Indian summer conditions that followed allowed growers to pick individual vineyard blocks precisely as each reached its ideal phenolic ripeness, extending the harvest window through late October without sacrificing quality at any point. Wine Spectator rated 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at 97 points Classic, describing wines that brim with fruit and structure and calling the vintage a no-brainer benchmark. For Rutherford's deep alluvial gravel soils, the flawless 2013 conditions produced wines of maximum fruit concentration and outstanding tannin quality with no heat-spike overripeness or weather-related compromise.
About Sloan
Sloan is a Rutherford estate producing a single Proprietary Red that has become one of Napa Valley's most collected and critically acclaimed wines over two decades of production. The estate's vineyards sit on Rutherford's characteristic deep alluvial gravel soils, where the combination of gravelly-loam surface layers and clay subsoil creates the drainage and water retention balance that produces the appellation's signature opulent fruit concentration and silky texture. Sloan's winemaking approach focuses on maximum extraction of what the Rutherford terroir can produce in favorable growing seasons, resulting in wines with the plush, generous mid-palate weight and glossy tannin profile that have made the Proprietary Red one of the most reliably high-scoring Napa Cabernets from one of the valley's most celebrated producing estates.
From the cellar: pair with
Grilled porterhouse with bone marrow and red wine reduction
Sloan 2013's full-opulence style and resolved, glossy tannins pair with the richest beef preparations; bone marrow's fat content bridges the wine's plush texture while the red wine reduction's fruit concentration mirrors the blackberry and plum jam character.
Braised short rib with dark chocolate and coffee mole
The wine's roasted coffee bean and dark chocolate aromatic dimension align exactly with a mole sauce; the short rib's collagen richness matches the wine's glossy palate weight while the mole's complexity provides the depth needed to engage the 2013's fully developed mid-palate.
Aged double-cream brie with black cherry preserves
The wine's fully resolved, sweet-tannin glossy texture finds an ideal dairy counterweight in rich brie; black cherry preserves bridge the 2013's blackberry and blueberry compote register while the cheese's fat softens the wine's substantial body.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 63-65F (17-18C)
- Decanting
- Decant 45 minutes to 1 hour in 2026. At six peak years the wine is fully open; the decant primarily allows the blackberry, plum, and coffee aromatics to express at full development. Serve at 63-65F to allow the full plush mid-palate weight its proper expression.
- Cellar Storage
- 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.
The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.
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Frequently Asked
When is the ideal time to drink Sloan Proprietary Red 2013?
In 2026, Sloan Proprietary Red 2013 is six years into its nineteen-year peak window, making this the heart of a generous and expansive peak arc. The wine is fully open, generously opulent, and at its most approachable: the 2013's extraordinary fruit concentration and the sweet ripe tannins of the flawless growing season are fully integrated and glossy in 2026. Thirteen years of peak drinking remain through 2039, making 2026 through 2033 the primary sweet spot before secondary complexity begins to dominate.
How long should I decant Sloan Proprietary Red 2013?
Decant Sloan Proprietary Red 2013 for 45 minutes to one hour in 2026. At six peak years the wine is fully open, and the decant is primarily to allow the blackberry, plum, and coffee aromatics to express at full development rather than to address any structural tightness. Serve at 63 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, or 17 to 18 Celsius, allowing the full plush mid-palate weight its proper expression temperature.
What is the Sloan estate's signature style?
Sloan Proprietary Red is distinguished by the Rutherford appellation's characteristic depth and opulence: the deep alluvial gravel soils that underpin the Rutherford bench produce wines with a plush, generous mid-palate weight and smooth tannin profile different in character from the more mineral-focused hillside Cabernets or the more structured Oakville estate wines. In 2013, that Rutherford signature was amplified by the flawless growing conditions to produce what many consider the most opulent Sloan expression of the estate's recent production history.
How does the 2013 compare to other Sloan Proprietary Red vintages?
The 2013 is Sloan's most opulent and flawlessly constructed recent vintage, reflecting Wine Spectator's 97 Classic rating for the growing year. Where cooler vintages like 2010 produce more architecturally tense expressions, the 2013's flawless conditions delivered maximum fruit concentration alongside perfect tannin resolution, resulting in the most immediately generous and seamlessly integrated Sloan Proprietary Red of the decade. Comparing with [Sloan 2005](/wines/sloan/proprietary-red/2005) on Cellared shows how this style evolves over two decades of development.