2021 TOR ‘Vine Hill Ranch’ Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

JS98 Extremely aromatic with violets, blue berries and black currants. Then notes of graphite and lead pencil come through. Amazing aromas. Full-bodied with rich and dusty tannins that show fantastic length and intensity. Bark and wet earth undertones with black mushrooms. Needs three or four years to come around. Best after 2026.

IWR98 The 2021 Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is another blockbuster wine in this vintage from Tor. The fruit for this bottling is a co-ferment of the vineyards gravelly blocks 4, 7, and 3. This Cabernet instantly grabs your attention with its incredibly perfumed aromas of ripe black and blue fruits which are joined by graphite, crushed violets, savory herbs, tobacco, iron and sweet exotic spices that all come together and burst from the glass. On the palate this is full-bodied, powerful and layered with incredible concentration and amazing overall depth. The purity of fruit is striking, as is the overall structure, with its big polished tannins and gorgeous velvety texture. The dense core is laced with rich flavors of sweet black and blue fruits that combine sweet spices and graphite, which all continue to gain momentum as it builds up to the long, graceful finish. This is a monumental wine from Tor that beautifully defines the characteristics of this vineyard. While the 2021 is already stunning today, I expect this to only become more compelling as it evolves over course of the next decade and beyond.

WA95-98 The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch is all Cabernet Sauvignon from Blocks 3, 4 and 7. Stylish notes of cedar accent black cherries and cassis on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, concentrated and richly textured. Plush, long and gently dusty on the finish, it’s a terrific effort.