Description
Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
This savory Napa Valley cabernet grows on Pritchard Hill, where Donn Chappellet settled in 1967. These volcanic hills east of St. Helena provided Phillip Corallo Titus with the raw material for a refined and lilting 2016. He didn’t overextract the wine, so the tannic detail lasts with umami notes of freshly dug earth, black mushrooms and blueberry skins. The fruit is integrated, with dark blueberry density and brighter purple notes feeling refined, so that the pretty side of cabernet is on view—a rarity among the muscle cabs of Napa Valley.
The larger production cuvée is the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature, which checks in as 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 % Petit Verdot, and the balance Malbec. This cuvée is normally relatively easy to find in the market and it's always a good value. The 2017 doesn't break that trend, offering up loads of black and blue fruits intermixed with lots of mountain scrub brush, crushed rocks, cedary herbs, and earth. It's medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, has considerable elegance, and a great finish.
A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and 8% Malbec, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature reveals intense notes of warm cassis, preserved plums and Black Forest cake plus hints of garrigue, cedar chest and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is delicately styled with fresh, energetic black fruits and a light chew of tannins, finishing earthy.
