2021 Cathiard Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

TWI99 The single-varietal 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, from a section of the vineyard at 1,200 feet elevation and the oldest vines, is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs plenty of swirling to unlock slowly unfurling scents of blackcurrant jelly, ripe plums, and black cherries followed by hints of tar, licorice, black truffle, and lilacs plus fragrant suggestions of fertile loam and iris bulb. The full-bodied palate is super intense, with beautifully ripe grainy tannins and seamless freshness framing the densely laden black fruits, finishing long and perfumed. A breathtaking expression of the vintage and this beautiful little corner of Napa Valley!
JS99 Aromas of blackcurrants, pine needles, cedar, tree bark and fresh dark mushrooms. Some stone and black fruit, too. A very fine-grained wine, complex and refined with energy and focus. It’s elegant with a lasting finish. Hints of nutmeg and other spices at the end, with a touch of incense and sandalwood. Pure cabernet sauvignon from 45-year-old vines, the oldest hillside block at the property. 9,000 bottles made. Try after 2028.
JD97+ Lastly, the flagship is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate on the western side of the Valley. A darker, more structured wine, it has beautiful purity in its ripe black fruits, roasted herbs, tobacco, and chocolaty aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, concentrated, and incredibly structured and inward on the palate, this riveting Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is going to require at least 7-8 years of bottle age to show its full potential.
DEC97 Fragranced and floral on the nose with clear toast, liquorice, cedar and blueberries. Dense yet agile, this has weight and an instant texture in the mouth – like crushed velvet, massy and full but chalky and softly chewy while remaining cool and lifted. I like the clean aspect with a really mineral, graphite aspect to the finish. Feels polished and utterly elegant, still super young, this hasn’t given up any tension yet, but it will be sublime in time. Blackcurrants, plums and sweet spices but cool too, nothing overripe or pushed about this. Very good.