Chappellet Napa Valley Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Red Wine

Chappellet Napa Valley Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 

750 ml

95 pts. Wine Enthusiast:

"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. International Wine Report:

"The 2021 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon from Chappellet is fantastic. Composed of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec and 6% Merlot this opens with inviting aromas of ripe dark currants and blueberries woven together with sweet baking spices, mocha, sage, gravel and violets all taking shape. On the palate this is full-bodied, plush, and structured with beautifully polished tannins. It possesses excellent depth which gives way to ripe dark fruits and sweet spice flavors that continue to build through the supple finish. This appears to be a fantastic vintage for Chappellet's Signature Cabernet as it is already quite compelling, however it also possesses the potential for a wonderful evolution ahead." - November 2023, J. D'Angelo

95 pts. Jeb Dunnuck:

"The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature shows the density and structure of the vintage, with medium to full body, good mid-palate depth, plenty of mountain tannins, and classic Pritchard Hill blue fruits, dark chocolate, and ample minerality. This is a serious wine in the making, and I suspect short-term cellaring will be warranted."

FROM THE WINERY

The Wine

The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon has been our foundational wine for more than three decades. It is a benchmark for the long-lived hillside wines of the Napa Valley; full of structure and aging potential, yet seductively forward in its concentrated varietal character. The dry, rocky soils of Pritchard Hill produce small, intensely flavorful grapes. Crop thinning allows for full, even ripening and elevates flavor complexity.

Growing Season & Harvest

The 2021 growing season began with one of the driest winters on record, followed by a mild spring and summer with no adverse heat events. Due to the lack of precipitation, canopy growth was limited and the vines produced very small berries and clusters. To ensure ideal ripening and flavor development we closely monitored vine water stress and applied a highly targeted irrigation strategy. While the drought yielded a small crop, the long, temperate growing season combined with ideal harvest weather produced dark and powerful wines with concentrated aromas and flavors, excellent structure and lush, mouthcoating tannins.

Tasting Notes

Luxuriously dark and concentrated, this wine displays aromas of cassis, black cherry and boysenberry, as well as notes of fresh herbs and French oakinspired hints of vanilla, cardamom and clove. On the palate it is beautifully full-bodied with supple, polished tannins and alluring layers of dark berries and spice, with notions of dark chocolate, espresso, sage and anise emerging on the long, dramatic finish. 

Wine Statistics

Harvested Sept. 9 – October 20, 2021

Bottled - June 2023

24.5- 27.0° Brix at Harvest 

14.7% Alcohol 

TA .57 g/100 ml 

pH 3.69

Wine Blend:

79% Cabernet Sauvignon

8% Petit Verdot

7% Malbec

6% Merlot