Conn Creek’s Anthology 1996 is a Napa Valley Bordeaux-style red blend from a winery founded in 1973 by Bill and Kathy Collins. Conn Creek has long focused on Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties, and Anthology has been positioned as the house flagship—described by the winery as the portfolio’s “standard bearer” and “a testament to the layers of depth and complexity that can be achieved through the art of blending.” While the exact 1996 blend percentages aren’t confirmed in the available material, Anthology is generally built from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.

Professional reviews for this vintage are limited, but the one published assessment is strong. Wine Enthusiast rated the 1996 Anthology 91 points—an excellent review for a mature Napa blend—and found it already showing both savory detail and polish. The magazine highlights how the wine opens with “spicy, meaty aromas…accented by a cool menthol streak,” before moving into “toasty blackberry fruit and bakery spices like anise and cinnamon” on the palate. Importantly for readers who like nuance in Napa reds, Wine Enthusiast calls it “a classy blend,” noting “coffee and a welcome herbal character brought on by 20% Cabernet Franc.” That specific detail—Cabernet Franc at 20%—is the only confirmed varietal percentage for the 1996 bottling in the review record provided.

In broader context, 1996 in Napa Valley is widely regarded as a high-quality, age-worthy red wine year, shaped by low yields and a long season that helped wines reach ripeness while keeping structure. That vintage character aligns with Wine Enthusiast’s description: ripe blackberry fruit framed by savory spice, herbs, and coffee-toned complexity, with enough freshness to keep the profile composed rather than heavy.