Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Vine Hill Ranch leads with beautiful balance, grace, and length. It is almost equal parts red fruit, blue fruit, and black fruits, displaying one of the greatest Cabernet vineyards in the world. This vintage again shows the amazing mid palate and what the slightly 'cooler' side of South Oakville can produce. Its rounded texture and balance continue to resonate through the long silky finish.
Blend: 99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Extremely aromatic with violets, blue berries and black currants. Then notes of graphite and lead pencil come through. Amazing aromas. Full-bodied with rich and dusty tannins that show fantastic length and intensity. Bark and wet earth undertones with black mushrooms. Needs three or four years to come around.
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Jeb Dunnuck
From an incredible vineyard in the southern part of Oakville, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard is about as silky and seamless as they come, with full-bodied aromas and flavors of red and black fruits, savory herbs, chocolate, and spicy wood. Coming from Blocks 3, 4, and 7, it has polished tannins, flawless overall balance, and a layered.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend from three blocks of this famed vineyard at the southern end of Oakville, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch combines scents of pencil shavings, subtle hints of thyme and sage, black cherries and mint. Medium to full-bodied, it doesn't have the sheer power of some of the other Tor bottlings but makes up for it in complexity. Silky, streamlined on the palate and boasting tremendous length on the finish, it's another winner from Tor Kenward and winemaker Jeff Ames.
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Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard is very young, but also remarkably elegant. There's terrific energy driving the 2021. Red/purplish fruit, crushed rocks, lavender, mint and sage lend magnificent vibrancy throughout. Even with the low yields, the 2021 is rich and concentrated, but not heavy. A closing floral accent perks up the finish...
Range: 94-97
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.