Winemaker Notes
Aromatically the wine has notes of iron, plums, blackberries, dried herbs, and fine tobacco. On the palate, the wine is layered with extremely ripe black and blue fruits, with hints of menthol, and firm tannins.
Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon,15% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Rudd Estate is situated in east Oakville, where vines are subject to late afternoon sun and heat, so mitigating those effects in the vineyard is paramount to ensure a "crescendo of acidity," as winemaker Natalie Bath puts it. Strikingly aromatic with intriguing savoury nuances that lead with ironstone volcanic minerals, nuanced by sagebrush, spicebush, and dried tobacco leaves, framed by pure black cherry, blackberry, and cassis. Medium-bodied, lifted, fresh, and filled with vitality on the palate, layered with more cherry and black currant, fragrant dried herbs and fig leaf, which weave an aromatic and flavour-driven tapestry around the ultra-fine-grained dusty tannins, which dissolve like fine powdery minerals, building to a long earth-and-cocoa-nib-driven finish. There is such freshness and vibrancy in this elegantly fashioned red. The 2021 harvest, completed on the early side by mid-September, marks Natalie Bath's first vintage entirely in the driver's seat as Rudd Estate winemaker (she first worked in the cellars back in 2012).
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James Suckling
Very aromatic with red currants, lavender, terra cotta and fresh bay leaf. Flavors follow through to a full body with very firm tannins that are extremely polished. Tension gives a precise focus to this wine. Available January 2025. Best after 2027.
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Wine Spectator
A nicely packed version, with juicy, winey black currant and blackberry paste flavors that meld steadily with singed apple wood, tar, licorice root and cast iron notes through the long, muscular finish. For fans of the punchy style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2038.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2021 Rudd Estate Proprietary Red is well-built and rewarding on the palate. This wine offers aromas and flavors of intense black cherries, dried earth, and oak. Enjoy it with slow-grilled pork belly. Tasted: May 5, 2025, Napa, CA)
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.