Best ever for the Wine Advocate:
The delicious 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Cru is a terrific introduction to the Vineyard 29 style, plus it's reasonably priced and should be at least somewhat available, as 4,600 cases were produced. Black cherries, cassis and dusty earth notes mark the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is smooth, velvety and supple. It even adds hints of chocolate cake and black olives on the finish, each balancing out the other and providing additional complexity.
And Dunnuck:
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Cru Napa Valley spent 18 months in 65% new barrels, with the rest in once-used oak. Cassis, blueberries, tobacco, and smoky oak notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, textured 2021 with ripe yet firmer tannins, a terrific sense of freshness and purity, and outstanding balance. This classic, impeccably made Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is well worth seeking out and will evolve for 15+ years.
And Vinous:
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon CRU (Napa Valley) is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Rich, succulent and inviting, the 2021 offers tons of immediacy and plenty of appeal. Juicy dark cherry, leather, tobacco, spice and chocolate are nicely amplified. Most of this fruit is from vineyards in St. Helena.
Winemaker Keith Emerson (formerly of Cakebread, now with Robert Craig, Vineyard 29 and several other Napa superstars) has really outdone himself here.
