2021 Cathiard Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Deep ruby with a hint of purple. Rich, sumptuous nose with layered black fruit and a savoury lactic tang. Full palate with building, muscular and fresh acidity. Far more heft than any other bottling but still cooling and fresh. Built to age. 18+/20 points (SCJ)
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Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
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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 property's flagship wine excels in this vintage with the 2021 Cathiard Vineyard Proprietary Red—based on older vines from the benchlands and hillsides—offering up an exciting array of aromas ranging from raspberries to blueberries and sage to bay. It's medium to full-bodied, concentrated and dense, tannic and muscular yet elegant. it's a gymnast of a wine that should age effortlessly for 20 years or more.
About the producer
Cathiard Vineyard is the Napa project from Daniel and Florence Cathiard of Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte, one of the leading lights of Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux.