Winemaker Notes
Acid driven sites like Regusci Vineyard benefitted the most from the structure first 2021 vintage. There's a completeness to this wine at release that separates it from all the vintages that came before it. That can also be attributed to Caterwaul's better understanding of what makes this site so special. Every year they have refined the selection within block 3 by focusing more on a vine by vine approach. They mitigated drought conditions at Regusci with a combination of vine maturity and moving around in the block a little to search for vine balance. Everyone likes to chase the best drained, most challenging soils but in a growing season like 2021, the more traditionally vigorous sections of the vineyard tended to be better. Soils with better water holding capacity were necessary for full canopy development and optimum ripening conditions. The 2021 Regusci continues the more savory expression they see from this site every year. It always leads with a sanguine edge and turns quickly to bay leaf, black olive and crushed stones. The floral quality here is more violet tinged complementing a palate of dark chocolate, blue and black fruits, incense and spice. Acidity helps frame and prolong the finish cutting into all the structure and density 2021 provided.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming all from Block 3 (which Thomas thinks is the best block), the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Regusci Vineyard sports a deep purple hue to go with a rocking, full-bodied, flawlessly balanced profile loaded with darker fruits, smoked herbs, graphite, and chalky minerality. I love its mid-palate, and it has ripe tannins and a great finish. It has that classic Stags Leap freshness and minerality, and my money is on this being long-lived.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Caterwaul's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Regusci Vineyard does a lovely job capturing the Stags Leap District's elusive suede-like, earthy-velvety note, marrying that seamlessly into a gentle whirl of raspberries and cherries. Full-bodied, plush, creamy and long, this is super stuff at a reasonable price, approachable now but virtually certain to age well for at least another 15 years.
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Wine Spectator
This is alluring, with a deep well of fleshy and steeped boysenberry, blackberry and blueberry paste flavors liberally coated with licorice and ganache notes. Showy and hedonistic, but flashes of violet and a ground wire of warm earth through the finish keep this honest.
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.