Winemaker Notes
The depth and complexity that mark the spectacular 2009 growing season are fully on display in this wine, with head-turning aromatics of black currant, cherry, plum and violet leaping out of the glass before revealing subtler notes of cinnamon, clove, espresso, cocoa and anise. On the palate, the tannins are large, yet velvety, supporting voluptuous layers of blackberry, Bing cherry, cassis and baking spices. Oak-inspired notes of caramelized brown sugar and molasses add additional nuance, while leading to a plush, lingering finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Another terrific Signature Cabernet from Chappellet. This has primary blackberry and cherry-jam flavors, with an additional note of toasty oak. The tannins and acids are excellent, lending structure to the richness. The result is a wonderfully-complex Napa Cabernet that should develop over the next six years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Sourced from mountain vineyards, like Stagecoach, Edcora and others, Chappellet's 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature comes across as slightly overdone, with leathery fruit, dried black cherries and smoky-meaty nuances on the nose. It's full-bodied, creamy and ripe, with a supple but abbreviated finish.
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Tasting Panel
Smooth and velvety with bright plum and cherry fruit; racy and fresh with great depth, style and finesse; agile and charming.
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Wine Spectator
Dense and a touch rustic, with chewy tannins, crushed rock, dried berry, sage and savory flavors. Maintains its firm, tight focus and appears built for the long haul. Best from 2013 through 2027. 7,500 cases made.
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.
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.