Chappellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA 2021
Chappellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA 2021
It is a marvellously compact and coiled-up wine with a towering structure. Very beautifully fragrant dried purple flowers and herbs. Full-bodied with loads of succulent ripe blackberry, creme de cassis, graphite, and loamy earth. Very firm, tight-grained tannins form the base note of this wine, and the finish is long and rich in wild herbs and spices. Cellar worthy. It will release internationally in September 2024. It is rounded out with 6% Merlot.
96 Pts Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter
An extra-dark color and heady aromas of crushed blueberries and blackberries leads to super-concentrated black fruits and milk chocolate on the palate, where silky tannins put a gentle grip around all that flavor. The wine is huge in pure fruit depth yet well polished in texture. Best from 2027–2034.
95 Pts Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast
Leading off the Cabernet Sauvignon releases, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature is a larger production release and is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and nearly equal portions of Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Merlot. Smoky black fruits, graphite, crushed stone, and tobacco notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, powerful 2021 offering ample mid-palate depth, a layered, textured, balanced mouthfeel, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It's a brilliant bottle of wine that will benefit from short-term cellaring and have over two decades of longevity.
94 Pts Jeb Dunnuck
Aromas of cassis and dark berries with sweet spices, dried orange peel and minty undertones. Hints of walnuts, too. Medium- to full-bodied with well-integrated, melting tannins. Very silky texture. Succulent and layered, ripe but bright and vivid. Delicious fruit. Long. Attractive now, but better after 2025.
94 Pts James Suckling
The 2021 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, with 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, and 6% Merlot in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. It opens with evocative notes of warm cassis, blackberry pie, and kirsch followed by suggestions of menthol, dark chocolate, and anise. The full-bodied palate is packed with black fruit preserves and spicy layers, supported by plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long with a savory lift.
94 Pts Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent