Winemaker Notes
Luxuriously dark and concentrated, this wine displays aromas of cassis,black cherry and boysenberry, as well as notes of fresh herbs and French oakinspired hints of vanilla, cardamom and clove. On the palate it is beautifullyfull-bodied with supple, polished tannins and alluring layers of dark berriesand spice, with notions of dark chocolate, espresso, sage and anise emergingon the long, dramatic finish
Blend: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, 6% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Chappellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon is superb and impressive. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers aromas and flavors of exotic spices, red and blackberries, oak, and licorice. Serve it with a glorious prime rib. (Tasted: November 15, 2023, San Francisco, CA)
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Decanter
It is a marvellously compact and coiled-up wine with a towering structure. Very beautifully fragrant dried purple flowers and herbs. Full-bodied with loads of succulent ripe blackberry, creme de cassis, graphite, and loamy earth. Very firm, tight-grained tannins form the base note of this wine, and the finish is long and rich in wild herbs and spices. Cellar worthy. It will release internationally in September 2024. It is rounded out with 6% Merlot.
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Tasting Panel
Hailing from volcanic soils on the slopes of the revered Pritchard Hill—handpicked as an ideal spot by André Tchelistcheff for the Chappellet family in 1967-this youthful red has time yet to show its true colors: Displaying an athletic, angular structure, its muscles are still forming. Slate, black plum, and dusty notes of dried lavender are enhanced by formidable opulence, while mocha-covered cranberries coat the palate on the finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
An extra-dark color and heady aromas of crushed blueberries and blackberries leads to super-concentrated black fruits and milk chocolate on the palate, where silky tannins put a gentle grip around all that flavor. The wine is huge in pure fruit depth yet well polished in texture.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Leading off the Cabernet Sauvignon releases, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature is a larger production release and is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and nearly equal portions of Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Merlot. Smoky black fruits, graphite, crushed stone, and tobacco notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, powerful 2021 offering ample mid-palate depth, a layered, textured, balanced mouthfeel, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish.
Rating: 94+
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James Suckling
Aromas of cassis and dark berries with sweet spices, dried orange peel and minty undertones. Hints of walnuts, too. Medium- to full-bodied with well-integrated, melting tannins. Very silky texture. Succulent and layered, ripe but bright and vivid. Delicious fruit. Long.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Domineered by scents of ripe cherries and loamy earth, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature is a strong effort, a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec and 6% Merlot. Medium to full-bodied, with an appealingly taut structure and silky tannins, it should be approachable young yet capable of aging for more than a decade.
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.