Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Patent Cabernet Sauvignon has a very rich garnet color with clean classic Cabernet aromas of cedar, black olive, licorice, and clove with notes of cherry and leather, with a background of vanilla. A mouth coating palate is consistent with the aromatics with a long rich finish and a balance that promises a rewarding long term cellaring potential.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Patent Wines are crafted by Tom Rinaldi, who rose to legendary fame as the winemaker for Duck Horn. Rinaldi sources Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, and this 350-case production was aged 24 months in 80% new French Oak barrels. After decades of crafting Napa wines, Rinaldi still has the Midas touch, delivering a very pretty, savoury, and bright Cabernet from the cooler Oak Knoll district. Balanced with expressive tannins that gain intensity and volume along with crunchy red fruit, crushed stone minerality, and juicy acidity. At 14.2% alcohol, this is one of the most food-friendly wines of the vintage.
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Wine Spectator
This polished, creamy style is generous in feel, showing flattering flavors of cassis, kirsch and boysenberry preserves gilded with anise-accented toast, plus a hint of Christmas pudding. Drink now through 2036. 350 cases made.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Patent's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon offers slightly floral-minty aromas backed by cassis and black cherries. From a site in Oak Knoll, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and creamy in texture, with a bright, mouthwatering finish.
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James Suckling
Aromatic and herbal nose developing notes of currants, plums, cherries, wet stones, violets and some peppercorns. Medium to full body with fine tannins. Juicy berries with a velvety texture and a flavorful finish with some tartness lingering at the end.
Patent Wines was formed to create exceptional wines of distinction & excellence from site specific vineyards within an AVA. From lengthy experience and know-how, paired with Bordeaux best practices honed over 45 harvests, they hand produce authentic wines. Patent Wines is the brainchild of two California wine industry veterans, Tom Rinaldi and Eric Risch. Rinaldi was the founding winemaker at Duckhorn, a role he filled from 1978 to 2000 during which he brought the merlot grape and the Duckhorn name to worldwide attention. He went on to establish and nurture such wineries as Pellet Estate, Provenance and Hewitt. Risch is an entrepreneur and marketing genius who turned to winery development and managing with Pellet Estate. Both Tom and Eric were initially going to keep a few of their best quality barrels for personal consumption and to share with friends and family. However, in 2020, both men had plenty of downtime and decided to partner and create very limited production wines focused either on specific vineyard sites or AVA’s. This lead to the creation of Patent wines. Their initial releases have all received high praise.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
As one of Napa’s coolest sub-appellations, the area begs for diversity among its vineyards. Merlot and Chardonnay firmly compete with Cabernet Sauvignon for a place here. Some of Napa’s best Zinfandels also come from the Oak Knoll District.
Situated far in Napa’s southern end, Oak Knoll receives a strong cooling influence from both the San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Coast’s evening fog and breezes. Summer days are warm but on average ten degrees cooler than in St. Helena farther north up the valley; summer nights are chilly. A long growing season promotes for leisurely ripening of grape berries, resulting in an impressive balance of sugars, phenols and acidity.
Notable producers include Trefethen, one of the appellation’s oldest wineries, Robert Biale, legendary Zinfandel producer and Lewis Cellars, a family-run, hands-on establishment.