Wine Advisor
Inglenook, Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
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Description
If Captain Niebaum was partially responsible for introducing Cabernet Sauvignon to Napa Valley, then John Daniel Jr. was responsible for carrying on his granduncle's tradition of excellence and finessing that varietal to revered status. In honor of Daniel's Cask Wines program that he began in 1949, our estate-bottled vintages from 1995 through 2008 of this grape variety were originally called Cask and bore oak veneer labels. Up until then the wine consisted of 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in American oak barrels. The 2009 vintage, however, saw changes both in name as well as in the production and aging regimen, and now Inglenook's Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec–-depending on the desired profile–-all of which is aged in French oak.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Bright raspberries and cherries are accented by attractive notes of sage and bay on the nose of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted as a prospective blend prior to bottling, it's really promising, with great texture and length.
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Inglenook's tightly wound 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon features plenty of bright red berries on the nose, ranging from cherries and redcurrants through to cranberry, all accented by hints of cocoa powder and dried herbs. It's medium to full-bodied, taut and streamlined, with ample energy and length on the softly tannic finish.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is plump, juicy and forward. A burst of dark red cherry, plum, licorice, spice and mocha hits the palate. This young, exuberant Cabernet packs plenty of punch. All the natural intensity of this low-yielding vintage comes through loud and clear.
About the Producer
Inglenook's Chateau winery is completed. Conceived to be a state-of-the-art facility, the Chateau's design is based on gravity-flow, one of the first of its type in Napa Valley, and includes an early form of rebar—using cable from cable-cars in San Francisco—to stave off earthquake tremors and to help the building shift safely during the crush process. True to his fastidious nature in each step of the winemaking process, Niebaum devises California's first grape-sorting table and also installs the state's first bottling line to ensure the wines' provenance from growth to bottle, the latter always bearing the California Pure Wine Stamp and secured with an intricate wire maze to guarantee the wine's integrity.
