Cathiard Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin Estate Vineyard Napa Valley 2021

“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.”

“The flagship 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is all varietal raised in a mix of new and used barrels. Only the second vintage, it's a clear step up over the 2020 and offers a sensational perfume of sweet loamy earth and chalky minerality intermixed with pure crème de cassis, freshly sharpened cedar pencils, Asian spices, and smoky, scorched earth. Full-bodied and flawlessly balanced, it has incredible intensity and depth, ripe, integrated tannins, remarkable purity, and a lively spine of acidity that keeps it light on its feet and vibrant. It has enough concentration and structure to evolve for 30+ years. Give it a couple of hours in a decanter if you are drinking any time soon.”

“This Cabernet Sauvignon relies on 45-year-old vines to deliver depth, a long finish and a refined balance of tannins and fresh acidity. A combination of black fruits, deliciously fresh mixed herbs, pleasing earthy accents and a savory character immediately taste of Napa Valley, while the structure and poise are built to age, and feel reminiscent of classic Bordeaux. This is an exciting new project from the producers of Smith Haut-Lafite worth seeking out. Will continue to develop in cellar.”

“Sourced from 45-year-old vines planted at over 365m in elevation, Cathiard Vineyard's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the highest point on their Napa Valley property. This incredibly fresh, 100% Cabernet sees 22 months in oak. It offers a sumptuous and seductive nose of rich black currants, walnuts, and a creamy richness imbued with fragrant toasted cedarwood, nuanced by tinges of graphite. Full-bodied, with a deep and concentrated mid-palate of black cherry and blackberry fruits laced with tobacco and wild herbs, the palate presents powerful tannins that feel precision-sculpted, forming long beams that build in intensity through a lengthy finish marked by black liquorice, crème de cassis, dark chocolate, and finally an aromatic lift of bright, wild herbs – a profound expression of Cabernet in a great vintage. My colleague, Georgina Hindle, also sampled this wine in her report 'March releases on the Place de Bordeaux 2024: Report and top-scoring wines", and my tasting with Florence and Daniel Cathiard and winemaker Justine Labbé at their estate Napa Valley estate confirmed much of the same reaction. I'd wager this should be re-tasted in a year or two as I could see it rising a point or two. Points aside, this is a beautiful wine that will deliver loads of pleasure for decades.”

“The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is fabulous and hopefully an indication of what the property will be capable of in the future. Dark and sumptuous in the glass, the 2021 exudes class. Sumptuous dark-toned fruit, leather, chocolate, lavender and spice all saturate the palate. Brisk acids pull it all together in style.”

“This is a ripe, polished version, offering a steady beam of cassis and blackberry fruit laced with anise, apple wood and iron notes that stretch out nicely on the finish. The toasty frame is in balance with the fruit, which shows tension and cut through the finish. Best from 2026 through 2040. 750 cases made.”