Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is fresh, buoyant, and aromatic, offering lovely red berry fruits on the nose, supported by a lifted floral potpourri character and secondary aromas of stony minerality, crushed earth, and graphite. The palate is lithe and mouth pleasing with a supple texture that provides juicy black currant, cassis, black cherry, and blackberry compote notes alongside savory notes of chaparral sagebrush, dark chocolate, and cedar spice. Incredibly approachable upon release, this Cabernet is medium bodied with fine-grained, polished tannins that give freshness and vivacity with a poised structure, leading to a long and satisfying finish.
Blend: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petite Sirah, 4% Charbono, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Touriga Nacional
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very aromatic and vivid with hints of ink, stone and blackberry with some black currant. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a fresh, juicy finish. Nice fluidity to it. Lovely texture at the end. 82% cabernet sauvignon with petit sirah and others, including touriga nacional.
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Wine Enthusiast
A blend of vineyards from throughout Napa Valley, this Cabernet is made to showcase the potential of the region with approachability and detail. A mix of bright cherries and succulent black fruits is lifted by warming spices and candied violet aromatics. Freshly cracked pepper carries into the lengthy and palate-cleansing finish.
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Wine Spectator
A polished, friendly style, with boysenberry and blackberry pate de fruit notes cruising through to the polished, licorice-accented finish. Drink now through 2032. 20,464 cases made.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the 2021s, there are roughly 20 thousand cases of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, and it's well worth drinking. Ripe red and black fruits, medium body, fine, polished tannins, and some classic chalky minerality, spring flowers, and graphite notes all make for an outstanding, satisfying Cabernet Sauvignon to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.