Winemaker Notes
The 2021 “Cariad” radiates with undulating scents of intense mineral, warm spice and fragrant fruit. Graphite undertones join with notes of blue fruits, black olive and macerated boysenberry. Toasted coriander seed, cinnamon bark and dried flowers bring a glowing warmth to the nose. The vibrancy that pulsates through the wine ensures it will endure the test of time. Creamy, layered and full bodied, the 2021 “Cariad” entices with its seamless texture and sensational length.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
The 2021 Cariad is nothing short of a seamless, bold, and captivating masterpiece. It carries an effortless suavity and precision, with silky dark berry fruit, exotic spice, and deep cedarwood complexity, all woven into a powerful and finessed structure. This wine embodies the very best of Napa Valley, offering impressive density, levity, and an opulent yet balanced tension. It’s the kind of wine that transcends vintages, showcasing depth and refinement, placing it among the greatest Napa Cabernets of the past decade. Simply flawless. 56% Cabernet, 22% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot. (Colgin’s inaugural release was the 1992 Herb Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1998, Ann Colgin acquired a 125-acre parcel on Pritchard Hill overlooking Lake Hennessey, planting 20 acres and establishing the estate winery. The site is a sprawling, rugged landscape of woodlands and steep terrain, with soils composed of weathered volcanic lava flow, well-drained reddish clays, and weathered igneous rock. The vineyard is divided into 24 blocks and planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Syrah.)
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Cariad is another First Growth Bordeaux look-alike from Colgin. Darker currants, smoked tobacco, graphite, bouquet garni, and some exotic, meaty notions dominate the bouquet, and it's massively concentrated on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, polished tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It actually has some upfront appeal due to its incredible balance and texture, yet smart money will still hide these for 5-7 years. It will have 30+ years of overall longevity.
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James Suckling
So much graphite here with blackcurrants, black olives, black everything. Some orange peel, dried violets and iodine. Volcanic and pumice-like. Amazing aromas. Full-bodied but so tight and polished with crushed stone, iodine and cashmere. Leather undertones. A distinctive masterpiece for the vintage that will age for infinity. Try after 2030.
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Vinous
Colgin's 2021 Cariad is explosive, effusive and all charm. All the elements are so well put together. Deep, sweet floral and savory spice nuances lift a core of red/purplish fruit, all wrapped together with broad, chocolatey tannins. Elegant, vivid and impeccably balanced, the 2021 has a brilliant future. It will be interesting to see where this goes over time.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Like the 2018 version, Colgin's 2021 Cariad is wonderfully vibrant and fresh, with hints of dried sage accenting purple raspberries and cassis. It's full-bodied and velvety in texture yet taut and energetic. Nearly indescribable spice and earthy complexities fold in on the long, elegant finish, all wrapped in a cocoon of dry, silky tannins.
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Wine Spectator
This is dense, fleshy and generous in feel, all while maintaining form, as its core of well-steeped black currant and blackberry fruit rolls through, flecked with charcoal, alder and savory details and supported by a long tug of warm cast iron through the finish. Its grip offers a finishing kick of succulence, which bodes well for the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2042.
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.
GZT655228_2021 Item# 4132599