B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
From a winery that Wine Spectator’s James Laube notes “always seems to over deliver on quality for the price,” this dynamic duo from Napa icon Chappellet does not disappoint. The lush 2022 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee is once again expertly crafted for near-term enjoyment, while the outstanding,96-poiint 2021 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature lives up to Jeb Dunnuck’s description as a “serious wine in the making” from an exceptional vintage. Both are unbeatably priced for stocking up.
While most vineyards at the time were planted on the valley floor, Pritchard Hill pioneers Donn and Molly Chappellet purchased 320 acres high in the rugged hills east of Oakville on the advice of legendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff in the late 1960s, producing one of the first Cabs from mountain-grown fruit in Napa Valley in 1969 and continuing over a half century later as one of the few family-owned wineries in the region. Crafted of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 28% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc, the plush 2022 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee offers fragrant ripe dark fruit with soft, integrated tannins and a hint of spiced vanilla from aging in new French oak, a rich and easy drinking blend with seamless structure and “a bargain by most Napa standards” according to Wine Spectator. A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec and 6% Merlot from veteran winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus, the powerful,96-point 2021 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature features concentrated, dark fruit hinting of graphite and cedar with a long-lived finish, a richly textured, cellar-worthy Napa Cab “supported by plush tannins and just enough freshness” according to The Wine Independent’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown, who recommends “buying whatever you’re offered’ from the outstanding 2021 Napa vintage.
Called “a big overachiever” by Antonio Galloni of Vinous and “a smoking good value” by Jeb Dunnuck, the 2021 Signature promises to evolve gracefully in the cellar for well over a decade, while the luscious 2022 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee is ready to enjoy over the next few years, a bargain priced duo offering the best of both worlds for lovers of Napa Cabs seeking outstanding value. |