Vinous's first ever Wine of the Year!
But first, here’s Decanter magazine’s 100-point review:
Tasted with Lisa and Philip Togni in their winery atop Spring Mountain in February of 2024. An absolutely riveting Cabernet showing a deep ruby-purple colour. Gorgeously fragrant at the cork's pull with terrific violets and loads of black currants and dark dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with chiselled, precise tannins that build and build on the palate. At this early stage, the wine is full of ripe blackberry and black currant fruits that harbour impressive clarity of flavours, growing even more expressive with beautiful sagebrush nuances. Philipp Togni remarked that this vintage reminds him of St. Julien. Indeed, it is incredibly aromatic, elegant, and structured, and it is also a complete and seamless wine. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet France, and 1% Petit Verdot.
And now the first Vinous “Wine of the Year”:
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an outrageously beautiful wine and also one of the wines of the year. A soaring, exotic bouquet makes a strong opening statement. Pliant and creamy, with mind-blowing textural finesse, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. Hard candy, mint, lavender, Kirsch and spice linger on the close. The 2021 possesses mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse.
Togni, by the way, could not have had a more distinguished or “important” career. After starting at Mayacamas in 1959, he became the founding winemaker for Chalone, worked at Inglenook for a year, became the founding winemaker for Chappellet – making their legendary 1969 Cabernet Sauvignon that is still regarded as one of the greatest ever produced in California.
This towering 2021 Togni Estate Cabernet is a crowning achievement for him – and will be another legend in the decades to come.
