| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | U.S.A. > California |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate comes from a great vintage for Napa Valley and comes all from the Monte Bello Vineyard on the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Pure crème de cassis, leafy tobacco, spring flowers, and graphite are just some of its nuances, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, concentrated, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This Saint-Julien-like beauty needs 4-6 years of bottle age but will keep for 30 years. It's not far off the Monte Bello and should be snatched up. Drink between 2028-2051.
Blended with 16% Merlot and bottled at 13.3% alcohol, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is immediately layered and expressive on the nose. Aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, cocoa nibs and charred wood lead to a vibrant, satiny palate that is fresh and light on its feet. The finish combines juicy, muddled berry flavors with tense, chocolaty tannins of good length. This is delicious already but should improve for the next decade.
Full bottle 1,308 g. 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot. From the wonderfully detailed label: 'A dry winter, with only fourteen inches of rain, followed by a warm summer, created stress on the vines. Fortunately, this concentrated flavour but also required extra attention during fermentation not to over extract tannin. As a selection of lots primarily from Monte Bello's Klein Ranch, our Estate Cabernet uses parcels that show the distinctive character of our soils and climate, but as a wine tends to mature somewhat earlier ... Ingredients: hand-harvested, estate-grown grapes, indigenous yeast, calcium carbonate, naturally occurring malolactic bacteria, oak from barrel-ageing, minimum effective SO2.' Deep, inky purple. Bright, fresh blackberries and dried blueberries, thyme, and cedarwood – incredibly appetising. Vibrant acidity, very sticky, grippy tannins, and a lovely fullness to the palate. It's not the Montebello but unless you're opening one right next to the other this won't disappoint. Impeccable balance. Drink between 2028-2036.
