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VHR Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Vintage

VHR 2021 In the wake of the tumultuous 2020 growing season, 2021 delivered idyllic conditions befitting the production of Cabernet Sauvignon at Vine Hill Ranch. The result is a vintage of remarkable depth and complexity. Often compared to the exemplary 2013 growing season, the 2021 vintage is certain to be regarded as one of the finest in the Napa Valley’s history.

VHR Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 front

The fourth year of a prolonged drought in California, 2021’s deficient soil moisture resulted in smaller canopies and wonderfully temperate growing conditions that were ideal for the ripening of a relatively small winegrape crop at Vine Hill Ranch. August and September delivered mild temperatures that allowed for extended maturation in the vineyard, resulting in a vintage of remarkable complexity, character, and nuance. Fruit harvested from Blocks 1, 3, 4, and 6 contribute to a wine of exceptional site expression and character.

Singularly expressive, the 2021 VHR, Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon offers scents of freshly crushed black cherries, warm cassis, and juicy blackberries followed by hints of menthol, dark chocolate, licorice, and cinnamon stick, with a fragrant waft of violets. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with vibrant black fruits and loads of baking-spice sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe tannins and well-knit freshness with a long and lingering finish. This wine harmoniously showcases the individual attributes of each vineyard block to create a wine that is balanced, persistent, textural, and distinctive to our family’s vineyard in Oakville.

A relatively light 2021 harvest began on September 8, with portions of our hillside Block 1 yielding an average of 4.1 tons per acre. Our benchland Blocks 3 and 4 yielded 2.5 and 2.7 tons respectively, while our hillside Block 6 delivered 2.4 tons. Our harvest was completed on September 21.

vineyard map plots: 1, 3, 4, 6