Winemaker Notes
Both elegant and intense, this wine showcases Cabernet Franc’s natural complexity with with effusive aromas of red currant, blueberry, black tea, mountain sage and roasted coffee, as well as hints of cedar and cigar wrapper. On the plush palate, flavors of wild berry, anise and white pepper, are underscored by a silky texture and seamless tannins, with a note of earthy richness adding sophistication to a long, beautifully balanced finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Chappellet Cabernet Franc displays this grape variety with outstanding concentration and grace. TASTING NOTES: Savor its aromas and flavors with a grilled, well-marbled ribeye and a dollop of super ripe pungent Époisses (Tasted: May 3, 2024, San Francisco, CA)
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Tasting Panel
Accompanied by small percentages of the four other Bordeaux varieties, this Pritchard Hill- born Cabernet Franc shows verve and sensual textures of graphite, violets, and fresh herbs. An underlying chalkiness denotes plum skin and dusty cocoa. Sweet soil and rich dark chocolate create a path to a well-defined, crushed- velvet finish of blueberry.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Looking first at the 2021 Cabernet Franc, this beauty is based on 78% Cabernet Franc, 7% each Merlot and Malbec, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Red and black currants, fresh figs, savory flowers, spicy wood, and some camphor notes all soar from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and outstanding length. This is a stunning Cabernet Franc to enjoy over the coming 15 years or more.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Chappellet's 2021 Cabernet Franc is quite floral on the nose, those hints of violets and sage blossoms adding a wonderful lift to the vanilla-accented cherries and raspberries at the core of the wine. Full-bodied and richly concentrated, with a long finish that's simultaneously dusty and mouthwatering, this is almost approachable already, yet it looks to have the potential to age well for at least two decades. The final blend is 78% Cabernet Franc, 7% each Malbec and Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot.
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James Suckling
A dark red with aromas of blackberries, dark cherries, cassis and sweet spices. Medium to full body with fine tannins. Plush and opulent with a concentration of dark fruit at the center and a lively finish with excellent length. Yet remains very fresh. Just a hint of tannin austerity keeps it lively.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromatics and flavors with a mix of fresh Italian herbs, ripe juicy plum, graphite and light cocoa powder provide satisfying, mouthfilling flavor. Supple tannins and mouthwatering acidity carry into an impressively long finish in this generous and delicious Cabernet Franc accented by the full host of other Bordeaux varieties—Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.
The Chappellets' romance with Pritchard Hill began when Donn and Molly Chappellet first glimpsed the mountain's spectacular vistas in the late 1960s. Inspired by the notion that Bacchus loves the hills, Donn and Molly followed the advice of legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff and settled on the rocky eastern slopes of the Napa Valley. There, on the mountain’s serene and picturesque hillsides, the Chappellets established their home and winery, raising their children and cultivating the vineyards.
Since being founded by Donn and Molly in 1967, Chappellet has earned acclaim championing the robust power and complexity of wines crafted from mountain grapes. At the same time, Chappellet has helped to establish Pritchard Hill as one of California’s most revered winegrowing sites. To honor the mountain's rich, expressive character, the winemaking team focuses on creating extraordinary, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons that embody the intensity and finesse of fruit from Pritchard Hill.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.